Discovering the Legend 2: Read Chamber of Secrets
by RoseDragonWitch
Summary: Sequel to Sorcerer's Stone. Even more characters join in to read about Harry and his friends adventures in their second year. How do they react when they find out that a legend isn't just a legend?
1. Prologue: The Chamber of Secrets

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 1: Prologue: The Chamber of Secrets**

Remus Lupin had always been a morning person… except right after a Full Moon of course. Normally, he would be the first one up and would start to get breakfast ready… but today, he got a surprise when he went down to the kitchen to see Sirius sitting there.

In his hands, he was re-reading **Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**. The first out of a series of books that Remus found that talked about Harry's last four years at school.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"Morning," he replied as he smiled sadly, without looking up from the book.

Remus went around to the stove to make some hot coffee for them both, with occasional worried glances at Sirius. He didn't like the pale, and strained expression on his friend's face.

"Padfoot…?" he asked hesitantly. "Are you ok?"

"I've been better," Sirius replied honestly. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

Neither did Remus. He spent the whole night thinking about Harry's first year. How the boy was able to face all that and not be traumatized for life, he couldn't understand.

"It's just," Sirius started turning page after page of the book before finally dropping it on the table. "It's just… it was only his first year and he already had to face Voldemort and all sorts of other horrible things! And a dragon?! What was going through Hagrid's head when he played cards for a dragon egg? And a mountain troll! It's a miracle he's still alive. And… I just couldn't sleep and so I came here to read the book again. I couldn't face reading the second one alone," he smirked bitterly. "So I started reading and… the way that no good sister of Lily's treats Harry is just… I mean how could someone be that terrible to their own nephew?"

Remus didn't know what to say to all that. He pondered his reply for some time until… "She has some serious problems," was all he could come up with. "I guess… she's always been so jealous of Lily, and she just didn't know how to get over it and move on." He looked long and hard at Sirius before he said, "Just like you and Severus, perhaps?"

"WHAT?!" Sirius bellowed. He looked like he was ready to go into another long rant but Remus quickly cut in.

"You know in your heart that I'm right, Sirius!" he yelled. "All you both do is argue at the Order meetings. You both bring up the past constantly without any thought of letting go of old grudges."

"He starts them!" Sirius yelled.

"But you never try to end them," Remus called. "You both just hold onto the past instead of realizing that you're here in the present. Just like Petunia…"

Sirius stared at him in horror. He was nothing like that horse! He just stood up and left the room with a slight growl, "You're wrong."

A couple hours later, the teachers had arrived looking tired… and irritated.

"What's with you three?" Tonks asked with a slight yawn because she didn't any sleep until morning.

"Umbridge," Snape hissed. "She keeps putting up new degrees for the most ridiculous things!"

"She's getting more unbearable every day," Minerva exclaimed.

"She's a nightmare," Remus agreed bitterly, having been forced to meet her on several occasions because of her anti-werewolf legislation. Just at that moment, Sirius came slouching into the room. He gave a dark look at Remus before he took a seat as far away from him as possible. This didn't go unnoticed by Dumbledore. He blinked in surprise and leaned in to ask Remus, "Did something happen?"

"I'll tell you later," Remus whispered, but then he said more loudly, "Kingsley and Mad-Eye aren't coming?"

"No, not for awhile anyway," Albus answered. "They both have important things to do today. But I'm sure they'll be here later on."

"Later on for what?" asked a curious voice from the hallway.

They all spun around to stare at the unopened door. "Molly?" Tonks asked in surprise as she leapt up to open the door. And sure enough, there stood Molly and Arthur Weasley. "There you all are," Molly said looking around at them all. "We were looking for you."

"What are you all doing here?" Arthur asked as he followed his wife into the room.

"We could ask you the same thing," Sirius said taken aback. "We thought that you both moved back to the Burrow."

"We did," Molly said and suddenly she was looking frustrated, "But we've been trying to talk to you for the last couple days Dumbledore but we haven't gotten any answers."

"If this is about Umbridge," Albus spoke wearily, "I already told you that I don't have any control at what them Ministry does and I cannot remove her. Believe me, if I could, I would."

"Yes," Molly said, putting her hands on her hips and glared at him, "I understand that, but couldn't you make her stop with her medieval teaching methods? I got a letter from Ginny and she says that… that…" she suddenly trailed off. She had just noticed the books on the table. She stopped talking to stare at them in amazement.

Arthur came forward a little to see what had caught his wife's attention and asked, "Dumbledore? What's that?"

"These are the reason I've been unavailable," Albus said softly. "Remus here," he gestured to Remus who nodded, "Found these books about Harry's first four years at school. We just finished reading the first book last night. And we're about to start on his second year."

Molly and Arthur just stared at him. "Does Harry know about these?" Arthur asked.

"Ahhhhh," Tonks said, "No. But we thought that reading them would help us in and with the war. It might talk about a way to give us an edge on Voldemort. Or at the very least, help Harry."

The two Weasleys flinched at Voldemort's name. "Really," Sirius stated as he leaned back in his chair. "You two are going to have to get used to the name sooner or later. The world could be going to hell in a basket soon if we don't stop him. And you won't last long if you're afraid of his name."

"I don't remember asking for your opinion, Sirius!" Molly snapped at him before turning back to Albus and said, "You're now starting on Harry's second year? And this is from his point of view or something…?"

"Yes," Albus said as he sat down. "You are more than welcome to join us," he told them courteously. "If you have nothing more to ask me about Umbridge, then we can begin." He folded his hands together, and looked to Remus who had volunteered to read. He had been looking forward to reading this book… he could finally see if what he suspect about Tom Riddle to be true.

The red-headed couple glanced at each other for a moment before they shared a silent conversation. They both loved the boy as if he were their own… and they would like to know more about him and help him in any way they could. And, they suddenly remembered, this was the year that he saved Ginny… they would like to know exactly what happened that day. Harry never went into much detail.

On the other hand, it felt a little deceitful going around his back and reading about his life without him knowing. But before they could make up their minds, Remus picked up the second book and read out loud:

**The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. **

Everyone in the room felt their anger rise at the mention of those Dursleys. Even the Weasleys who knew that the Dursleys were awful to Harry from what their sons had told them.

**But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.**

Sirius felt his face go very white and he gulped nervously while Tonks and Remus shared scared looks. What on earth could've happened now?

**And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gileroy Lockhart; and a spirit names Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom.**

Myrtle? Sirius remembered her. He and James used to throw things at her. They made a game out of it. Ten points if they could throw something through her stomach and, he smiled, fifty if they got it through her head. Needless to say, Myrtle didn't take it very well.

**But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone—or something—starts turning Hogwarts students to stone.**

"Stone?" Sirius, Remus, and Tonks cried. "What does it mean by stone?!"

"Well," Minerva said sadly, "I wouldn't actually say they turned to _stone_. But not a bad guess."

**Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects… Harry Potter himself?**

No one spoke for a long time after that foreboding preview. Finally, Sirius croaked out, "What the hell?! You mean to tell me that his second year is even worse than his first?! How is that possible?!"

"Lockhart…" Remus said to himself. "Wasn't he that stuck-up Ravenclaw student that went to school with us?"

"Unfortunately," Severus hissed in annoyance. "And yes, he did indeed get much worse."

"Who cares about him?" Sirius demanded and everyone silently agreed. "Who's this Dobby warning Harry about disaster? And turning students to stone?"

"Dobby," Albus explained. "Is a house-elf As for turning the students becoming like stone…" but then shook his head.

"I'm afraid that I might not be able to explain it as well as the book will undoubtedly will," he said. "But just know that there was no lasting harm done and everyone made it out alive." He then turned to the Weasleys, who both gone very pale and Molly looked like she was about to cry.

"But what does it mean that everyone suspected Harry doing these… attacks?" Tonks demanded, looking from Dumbledore, to the Weasleys, to the unnerved expressions on Minerva's and Severus's faces.

"Read," Albus said gloomily, "And I'm sure that you'll understand." He looked up at the Weasley and asked, "Will you be staying?"

They both thought about it for another moment… but then their curiosity got the better of them and they sat down side-by-side on the couch with Tonks and McGonagall.

"Alright," Dumbledore said as he nodded his head to Remus, who understood to start reading. He cleared his throat and opened the book to read out, "**Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday**."

**(Finally got the next book up! Hope you all enjoy this as much as the first one. I've been thinking about adding Hagrid into the story later on in the book, what do you think? And for those of you who will undoubtedly complain about having Arthur and Molly there, I think that it suits. They do think of Harry like one of their own and they deserve to know how he saved their only daughter. Charlie's in Romania, Fred and George are still at school, Percy the Prat isn't talking to them, and Bill's busy '_teaching'_ Fleur English. ;-) Besides, I think their reactions would be a bit of a comic relief in some parts. And don't you want to see Molly get angry at when she finds out about Harry's treatment at the Dursleys? I think that she and Sirius should gang up and teach them a lesson. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and the next chapter should be going up in a couple days. Thanks again for reading.)**


	2. The Worst Birthday

**(Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling! I own nothing)**

**Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday**

"Alright," Dumbledore said as he nodded his head to Remus, who understood to start reading. He cleared his throat and opened the book to read out, "**Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday**."

"That's a sad way to start a book." Sirius commented. "Something tells me that I'm not going to like this any better than the last one."

Mrs. Weasley started frowning at the title. She hated to admit it… but she was starting to agree with Sirius.

"But why is this the worse?" Arthur asked confused.

"Whatever it is," Tonks said as she also began to frown, "I'm willing to bet that it has at least something to do with the Dursleys."

**Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew Harry's room.**

"Why does it have to start off with those Muggles?" Sirius complained. "That's how the first book started off and it just made me angry."

"**Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"**

**Harry tried, yet again, to explain.**

"Don't bother," Tonks stated with a wave of her hand, "He's too stupid AND stubborn to even listen."

"**She's bored," he said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night -"**

"**Do I look stupid?" snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache. **

"Is that a trick question?" Sirius asked in mock curiosity. "Because I vote for yes… yes you do."

**"I know what'll happen if that owl's let out."**

**He exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia.**

**Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys' son, Dudley.**

"**I want more bacon."**

"**There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance… I don't like the sound of that school food…"**

"Build him up?" Arthur asked in astonishment. "I've seen that boy and he needs to be put on a diet more than anything!"

"Yes," Molly said starting to get angry, "Don't they feed Harry? He's nothing but skin and bones."

**"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon heartily. "Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?"**

**Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to Harry.**

"That's disgusting," Molly said in disgust.

"How can they not see that something is seriously wrong with their whale of a son?" Tonks demanded incredulously. "Not unless they're both blind and deaf!"

"**Pass the frying pan."**

"**You've forgotten the magic word," said Harry irritably.**

"Why do I get the feeling that they aren't going to like that?" Remus sighed.

**The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs. Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Mr. Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples.**

"What's the problem?" Arthur asked, astonished that anyone could overeat like this.

"He only meant, _please_," Remus said in exasperation.

"**I meant 'please'!" said Harry quickly. "I didn't mean —"**

"**WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered his uncle, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"**

"**But I —"**

**"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist.**

"Threaten? He didn't threaten him!" Arthur said, furiously.

"How was that a threat?" Minerva asked angrily. "I saw that as Harry teaching that boy some manners."

"**I just —"**

"**I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"**

"DID HE JUST CALL MY GODSON ABNOMAL?!" Sirius bellowed, whilst Severus looked at the book thoughtfully.

"I can't believe Harry has to live with people like them," Remus said in disbelief. At those words, Minerva and Sirius both shot a sinister look at Dumbledore who was looking guiltier every minute. Molly on the other hand, to everyone's surprise, was on Sirius's side.

"Harry is a sweet and kind boy!" Molly yelled angrily. "That's more than I can say for you and your family Dursley!"

They all stared at her in amazement before she asked, "What?"

"N-nothing," Remus said, turning back to the book.

**Harry stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.**

"**All right," said Harry, "all right…"**

**Uncle Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Harry closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes.**

**Ever since Harry had come home for the summer holidays, Uncle Vernon had been treating him like a bomb that might go off at any moment, because Harry Potter wasn't a normal boy. As a matter of fact, he was as not normal as it is possible to be.**

**Harry Potter was a wizard **— **a wizard fresh from his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have him back for the holidays, it was nothing to how Harry felt.**

"I know the feeling," Sirius grouched as he stared around the depressing room and remembering his own awful childhood. He knew exactly how Harry must've felt… to wish to be rid of the house that he hated but forced back there every summer.

**He missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomachache. He missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, his classes (though perhaps not Snape, the Potions master),**

"Gee, I wonder why?" Sirius asked sarcastically.

Snape glared at him and growled, "And who asked for your opinion?"

**the mail arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, sleeping in his four-poster bed in the tower dormitory, visiting the gamekeeper, Hagrid, in his cabin next to the Forbidden Forest in the grounds, and, especially, Quidditch, the most popular sport in the wizarding world (six tall goal posts, four flying balls, and fourteen players on broomsticks).**

Most members in the room cheered up at just the word of Quidditch.

**All Harry's spellbooks, his wand, robes, cauldron, and top-of-the-line Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant Harry had come home. What did the Dursleys care if Harry lost his place on the House Quidditch team because he hadn't practiced all summer?**

"At least they lock him under there again," Tonks muttered so low that no one heard her.

Sirius on the other hand was looking at Minerva and Dumbledore and asked, "You wouldn't _really_ take him off the team would you?"

"Of course not," Minerva said as though she thought he was crazy. "The boy's a natural. It would be a foolish thing to do… but I do wonder how he got his homework done if all of his books were locked away."

**What was it to the Dursleys if Harry went back to school without any of his homework done? The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a wizard in the family was a matter of deepest shame. **

Everyone glared at the book at those words.

"That's the exact opposite in my family," Sirius said to no one in particular.

**Uncle Vernon had even padlocked Harry's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world.**

**Harry looked nothing like the rest of the family. **

"Thank the heavens," Sirius said clasping his hands together.

**Uncle Vernon was large and neckless, with an enormous black mustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. Harry, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy. He wore round glasses, and on his forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar.**

**It was this scar that made Harry so particularly unusual, even for a wizard. This scar was the only hint of Harry's very mysterious past, of the reason he had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before.**

"Why are they going over all of this again?" Sirius asked shutting his eyes. "We already know this."

"Maybe just to depress us?" Arthur suggested.

"Well, they're doing a good job," Remus mumbled sadly.

**At the age of one year old, Harry had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time,** **Lord Voldemort,** **whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Harry's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but Harry** **had escaped with his lightning scar, and somehow — nobody understood why —Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Harry. So Harry had been brought up by his dead mother's sister and her husband. He had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why he kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that he had got his scar in the car crash that had killed his parents.**

Sirius clenched his fists tightly. His anger towards the Dursleys was growing all over again. He had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from getting up and… _introducing_ himself to them… for good.

**And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Harry, and the whole story had come out. Harry had taken up his place at wizard school, where he and his scar were famous… but now the school year was over, and he was back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly.**

Everyone but Snape looked furious. "I still can't believe how good Harry turned out after growing up with… with them," Minerva said amazed.

**The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be Harry's twelfth birthday. **

"WHAT?!" Molly screeched furious. "How can they treat him like that?" She then turned to her husband and demanded, "Don't Muggles have laws against all this?"

Arthur looked just as angry as Sirius did, who was seething with fury, and said through gritted teeth, "Yes, but I don't think these Muggles care about them."

"Well they better start," Tonks said folding her arms. "Or else we'll have to go and meet them ourselves. I learned some new curses that I've been itching to try them out."

Sirius laughed at those words and said, "I know some good ones. Let me come with you."

Before they could start to talk about revenge plans, Remus decided to go on. Though he was tempted to add several suggestions of his own.

**Of course, his hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given him a real present, let alone a cake — but to ignore it completely…**

"That's just terrible," Arthur said disgusted with how these Muggles could treat their own family. To the Weasleys—family was everything.

"Oh, Harry dear…" Molly said sadly, leaning into her husband's shoulder and he held her close.

Sirius glared at Dumbledore who could only say, "We will talk about this later."

"But we can't leave him at that house next summer!" Molly cried and most nodded in agreement. Severus was frowning at the book, hating the small amount of sympathetically for the boy.

"I understand how you all feel," Albus said sadly. "But we will talk about this after the story."

**At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said, "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day."**

"_What?_" Sirius's jaw dropped open

"About time they remembered," Tonks grouched.

"Why do I get the feeling that they aren't talking about Harry's birthday?" Remus asked bitterly.

**Harry looked up, hardly daring to believe it.**

"**This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Uncle Vernon.**

"That bastard!" Sirius fuming, "I bet he only said that to get Harry's hopes up!"

**Harry went back to his toast. Of course, he thought bitterly, Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid dinner party. He'd been talking of nothing else for two weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him (Uncle Vernon's company made drills).**

"**I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Uncle Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be —?"**

"**In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."**

"**Good, good. And Dudley?"**

"**I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"**

Tonks began gagging. Snape stared at the book like it he was about to be sick, "How can you believe that crap?"

"**They'll love him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.**

"**Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on Harry. "And you?"**

"I don't know if you know this Dursley," Sirius threatened. "But he has a name!"

"**I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," said Harry tonelessly.**

"That's… that's how he spent his 12th birthday?" Molly cried with tears in her eyes. "By pretending that he doesn't exist?!"

"That's awful!" Tonks yelled out. "How could anyone be that insensitive?!"

Sirius looked like he was ready to hex those Dursleys into oblivion. He had his wand clenched tightly in his hand. He made a note to spoil Harry rotten for his next birthday.

"**Exactly," said Uncle Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight-fifteen —"**

"**I'll announce dinner," said Aunt Petunia.**

"**And, Dudley, you'll say —"**

"**May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.**

"**My perfect little gentleman!" sniffed Aunt Petunia.**

"Funny," Tonks stated. "For a minute I thought that she was talking about Harry."

Everyone but Snape smirked at those words.

"**And you?" said Uncle Vernon viciously to Harry.**

"**I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," said Harry dully.**

Sirius and Molly both looked like they were seconds away from murder and Severus was once again, uncomfortable at how similar Harry's childhood was to his own. Albus was looking guilty at being the one who placed Harry in that neglectful home.

"How can they treat a child this way?" Molly openly sobbing now.

"**Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"**

"**Vernon tells me you're a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason… Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason…"**

"**Perfect… Dudley?"**

"**How about —'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.'"**

Tonks and Arthur made choking noises while Severus and Minerva stared at the book incredulously. Sirius couldn't help but laugh, "Give me a break! Who in their right mind would believe that? You'd have to be really thick."

**This was too much for both Aunt Petunia and Harry. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, while Harry ducked under the table so they wouldn't see him laughing.**

"Of course she would believe it," said Snape rolling his eyes.

"She doesn't count," Tonks said. "She was already thick in the first place."

"**And you, boy?"**

"HARRY!" Sirius yelled, startling everyone. "He has a name! Use it! Is that too much to ask?"

**Harry fought to keep his face straight as he emerged.**

"**I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," he said.**

"You know, I think he gets it by now!" Sirius snarled. "Blimey, if he had to put up with this, it's no wonder that his confidence is so low."

Molly just continued to cry, thinking how such a sweet and caring boy was treated like this way on his own birthday.

"Pretend he's not there?" Remus asked shaking his head. "That might work in theory, but this is Harry Potter we're talking about. Harry can pretend all he wants, yet somehow things still always seem to make him stand out."

"Unfortunately," Snape growled.

"**Too right, you will." said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "The Masons don't know anything about you and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. Be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow."**

**Harry couldn't feel too excited about this. He didn't think the Dursleys would like him any better in Majorca than they did on Privet Drive.**

Arthur hugged his wife closer to him. He didn't care what Sirius or anyone else said, as far as he and Molly were concerned… Harry was as good as their son. And he couldn't bear hearing about him being treated this way.

"I highly doubt that they would take him with them in the first place," Sirius spat.

"**Right — I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And you," he snarled at Harry. "You stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning."**

**Harry left through the back door. It was a brilliant, sunny day. He crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench, and sang under his breath:**

"**Happy birthday to me… happy birthday to me…"**

"Happy birthday, Harry dear," Molly mutter sadly.

Now even Minerva began to cry, she had no idea that Harry was forced to go through all of this. The thought of a little kid having to sing to himself on his birthday was heart-breaking. "That's just so sad," she muttered as she pulled out her handkerchief.

"And I thought my birthdays were terrible growing up," Sirius said with his face back in his hands. "At least my folks acknowledge it." He was feeling worse and worse with every sentence. Again, his decision to go after Wormtail was coming back to slap him in the face. Only, once again, it was Harry who was suffering because of it.

**No cards, no presents, and he would be spending the evening pretending not to exist. He gazed miserably into the hedge. He had never felt so lonely. More than anything else at Hogwarts, more even than playing Quidditch, Harry missed his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. **

**They, however, didn't seem to be missing him at all. Neither of them had written to him all summer, even though Ron had said he was going to ask Harry to come and stay.**

"WHAT?!" cried Remus in astonishment.

"What's this about?" Sirius cried as he stared at Arthur and Molly. "They didn't write?"

"They went through so much at Hogwarts… fighting trolls, the forest, and everything else. And then after all that… they don't write?" Tonks asked.

"The three of them are as close as we Marauders used to be," Sirius stated in disbelief. "I can't believe this."

"That's not true!" Molly said angry. "Ron wrote to Harry everyday as soon as he got home, but he never got a single reply."

"From what we were told," Arthur said, defending his son, "Someone was stopping Harry's mail."

"I repeat, WHAT?!" Remus cried.

"Why though?" Minerva asked. "It's not like now… it's not like he was writing secret information that the Death Eaters could use."

"Maybe if you keep reading," Snape said annoyed, "We'll find out."

They all gave him an annoyed look before Remus went on.

**Countless times, Harry had been on the point of unlocking Hedwig's cage by magic and sending her to Ron and Hermione with a letter, but it wasn't worth the risk. Underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. Harry hadn't told the Dursleys this; he knew it was only their terror that he might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them from locking him in the cupboard under the stairs with his wand and broomstick.**

"They wouldn't actually do that…" Molly said though she sounded unsure. She looked up at the others and asked, "Would they?"

"I wouldn't be surprise," Sirius grunted wrathfully as he closed his eyes. "Come on! That's how they dealt with him before isn't it? Just lock him the cupboard and left him in there!"

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Arthur demanded. "You mean to tell me that they DID lock him in there before?"

"You didn't know?" Tonks said, staring at them. "Harry never told you?"

"They made him sleep in that damn cupboard until he got his Hogwarts letter," Sirius said, getting angry at the sudden burning behind his eyelids. "Once his letter came they moved him into his cousin's _second_ bedroom." The injustice of it was beyond words. Every time he heard how badly Harry was treated, it felt as if someone was gripping his heart very tightly.

"WHAT?!" the Weasleys shouted in horror. Molly felt like she was about to cry all over again. "His cousin had TWO bedrooms and Harry had to sleep in a cupboard? How could that bitch…?"

"They're sick," Arthur said. He turned to Dumbledore and said, "Please, let Harry come straight to our house this summer. Don't make him go back to that place!"

"Yes, please!" Molly agreed.

Albus felt like an even worse villain that Voldemort himself. He was fighting hard not to give in to them. He the only one who still realized the amount of danger that Harry would be in without the protection of the blood wards. But the more that he read, the more he was beginning to doubt that it was all worth it.

"We will discuss this later," was his only feeble reply. They were all to upset at this to pay any real attention to the sad look in his face… well, except for Snape.

**For the first couple of weeks back, Harry had enjoyed muttering nonsense words under his breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him. **

Sirius chuckled, "That some payback for all those years of bullying."

**But the long silence from Ron and Hermione had made Harry feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal — and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten his birthday.**

**What wouldn't he give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? He'd almost be glad of a sight of his archenemy, Draco Malfoy, just to be sure it hadn't all been a dream…**

"He must've been desperate for some information from the magical world," Sirius said shaking his head in disbelief.

Albus shifted uncomfortably. If that's how Harry felt when he was twelve… he could only imagine how bad it must've been for him last summer. Apparently he wasn't the only one thinking that for Remus, Arthur, and Minerva were staring at him with accusing eyes. He did his best to ignore them.

**Not that his whole year at Hogwarts had been fun. At the very end of last term, Harry had come face-to-face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself. Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self, but he was still terrifying, still cunning, still determined to regain power. Harry had slipped through Voldemort's clutches for a second time, but it had been a narrow escape, and even now, weeks later, Harry kept waking in the night, drenched in cold sweat, wondering where Voldemort was now, remembering his livid face, his wide, mad eyes —**

"I really wish that he wouldn't keep thinking about it," Molly sighed unhappily. "He has enough nightmares as it is."

**Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench. He had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge — and the hedge was staring back. Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves.**

"What now?" Tonks demanded.

**Harry jumped to his feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn.**

"**I know what day it is," sang Dudley, waddling toward him.**

"Good for you Dudders," Sirius muttered with cold sarcasm.

**The huge eyes blinked and vanished.**

"**What?" said Harry, not taking his eyes off the spot where they had been.**

"**I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to him.**

"**Well done," said Harry. "So you've finally learned the days of the week."**

Remus grinned, "That sounds like something Lily would've said."

As everyone chuckled slightly, Severus turned his head away… hating to admit that the werewolf was right.

"**Today's your birthday," sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? **

"Because you and your parents are cold-hearted, ignorant, selfish, cowardly, cheap prats!" Molly snarled, causing everyone else to stare at her half impressed, half shocked. They didn't know that Molly was capable of insults like that.

Sirius felt his respect—and fear—for her grow.

**Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?"**

They all got angry at that.

"We aren't freaks!" Tonks yelled.

"**Better not let your mum hear you talking about my school," said Harry coolly.**

**Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping down his fat bottom.**

"**Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously.**

"**I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said Harry.**

Sirius laughed. He wished that he could've seen the look on that pig's face.

**Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic on his fat face.**

"**You c-can't — Dad told you you're not to do m-magic — he said he'll chuck you out of the house — and you haven't got anywhere else to go — you haven't got any friends to take you —"**

"**Jiggery pokery!" said Harry in a fierce voice. "Hocus pocus — squiggly wiggly —"**

This was too much. Everyone, including the teachers, began to roar with laughter.

"You mean to tell me that idiot thought that they were actual spells?" Tonks gasped as she held her ribs tightly.

"I'm guessing so!" Sirius cried as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.

"**MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "MUUUUM! He's doing you know what!"**

**Harry paid dearly for his moment of fun. **

All the laughter faded almost instantly.

"What? Why?" Sirius exclaimed. "He didn't do anything!"

**As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew he hadn't really done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan.**

"She did what?!" Molly shrieked. "She could have done him a serious injury! I can't believe she tried to hit her sister's son with a frying pan! This has got to be against the law. There is no way that these people would be allowed to treat a kid like this and get away with it!"

She wasn't the only one who was fuming. Dumbledore started to radiate waves of powerful and angry magic, while Arthur was looking like he was about to be sick. Snape was feeling his pity and sympathy coming back more powerful than before. Everyone else were red in the face… biting back the words of outrage and revulsion threatening to take over.

**Then she gave him work to do, with the promise he wouldn't eat again until he'd finished.**

Sirius made to rise from his seat, but was stopped with a warning glance at Remus. "Sirius, we're all angry. But this already happened."

"But he didn't do anything!" he yelled. "That horse knew that he didn't do anything and she still punished him for no reason!"

**While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice cream, Harry cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench. **

"He's working like a house-elf while that pig is sitting around eating?!" Sirius exclaimed in disbelief. "It is official. There is just no justice in this world!"

Molly joined in with Sirius and they both began to rant on and on until Remus had to shout out the next few lines.

**The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of his neck. Harry knew he shouldn't have risen to Dudley's bait, but Dudley had said the very thing Harry had been thinking himself… maybe he didn't have any friends at Hogwarts…**

"How could he even think that?" Tonks said sadly.

"Why are you surprised?" Remus said dully.

"Ten years with those monsters would make anyone think the same thing," Minerva agreed miserably.

**Wish they could see famous Harry Potter now, he thought savagely as he spread manure on the flower beds, his back aching, sweat running down his face.**

**It was half past seven in the evening when at last, exhausted, he heard Aunt Petunia calling him.**

"Half past seven?" screamed Sirius. "She made Harry work from breakfast until half past seven on his birthday?!"

"They just keep getting worse!" Molly yelled livid.

"**Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!"**

"He's got a name!" Tonks cried exasperated. "Don't any of them bother to use it?"

"Walk on the newspaper?" Molly repeated jerkily. "They act like he's a dog or something!"

"No," Sirius grumbled. "Even dogs get treated better than that. Trust me… I know."

**Harry moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven.**

"**Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" snapped Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table. **

"THAT IT?" Molly boomed. "AFTER GIVING HIM ALL THOSE CHORES, THAT'S ALL THEY GIVE HIM WHILE THEIR OAF OF A SON EATS ALL DAY? NO WONER HE'S SO SMALL AND SKINNY. ALL THAT WORK… NOT EVEN I MAKE MY KIDS DO ALL THAT WORK AT ONCE AND THERE'S SEVEN OF THEM!"

No one wanted to stop her rant because she looked so terrifying. They just held their ears and let her go on while they too were furious at how they could treat a kid like Harry like that. Sirius was the only one who didn't bother to cover his ears. Molly's yells were making his eardrums throb… but he felt like he deserved it and much more. Even more guilt began to enter his heart… so much that it felt like he was bleeding from the inside out.

Molly went on for a long time until she finally stopped for some air. Remus quickly went on before she could get her chance to finish.

**She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail washed his hands and bolted down his pitiful supper. The moment he had finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away his plate. "Upstairs! Hurry!"**

**As he passed the door to the living room, Harry caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets. He had only just reached the upstairs landing when the door bell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs.**

"**Remember, boy — one sound —"**

**Harry crossed to his bedroom on tiptoe slipped inside, closed the door, and turned to collapse on his bed. The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.**

"Who was it?" demanded Tonks as she leaned in.

"I don't know. That's the end of the chapter," Remus said worriedly.

Little did they all know, but Sirius and Molly were both thinking the same thing.

_'Please don't be something bad,'_ they both begged inside their heads. _'Please, please, don't be anything bad.'_

"Let me read then," Arthur said, not liking the pale and tense expressions on everyone else's faces. He reached over and took the book from Remus. "I hope that things get better for Harry from here," he said to himself as he turned the page and read out in a strained voice, "**Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning**."


	3. Dobby's Warning

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning**

"Let me read then," Arthur said, not liking the pale and tense expressions on everyone else's faces. He reached over and took the book from Remus. "I hope that things get better for Harry from here," he said to himself as he turned the page and read out in a strained voice, "**Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning**."

"Dobby?" repeated Sirius. "Didn't you say that Dobby's a house-elf?"

Albus nodded.

"Well you mind telling me what a house-elf doing in Harry's bedroom?"

"Read and find out!" Severus called, sounding truly annoyed.

**Harry managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. **

"An accurate description," Albus said with a chuckle.

**Harry knew instantly that this was what had been watching him out of the garden hedge that morning.**

**As they stared at each other, Harry heard Dudley's voice from the hall.**

"**May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"**

"Talk about uninvited guests dropping in! This had to be the worst time for Dobby to come and visit," Sirius groaned shaking his head.

**The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes.**

"**Harry Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Harry was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir - Such an honor it is -"**

Severus growled, "Even _house-elves _know him!"

"But, what on earth could Dobby's warning be about?" Tonks asked confused.

"**Th-thank you," said Harry, edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair, next to Hedwig, who was asleep in her large cage. He wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead he said, "Who are you?"**

"I have a question," Remus said thoughtfully. "Where did Harry learn such good manners? I highly doubt that those _Dursleys_," he spat out the name as though it was a dirty word. "Bothered to teach him."

Molly sighed fondly. "Either he learned them on his own, or he was just born with them."

Severus gagged slightly.

"**Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.**

"**Oh - really?" said Harry. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom."**

"You can say that again," Arthur stated, worried about how the Dursleys would react when they find out.

**Aunt Petunias high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head.**

"**Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Harry quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"**

"**Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir - it is difficult, sir - Dobby wonders where to begin -"**

"**Sit down," said Harry politely, pointing at the bed.**

**To his horror, the elf burst into tears - very noisy tears.**

"He's crying?" Tonks said in surprise. "You think he be flattered that Harry was polite to him."

"I don't think they're tears of sadness," Arthur said to her.

**"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never - never ever -"**

**Harry thought he heard the voices downstairs falter.**

"**I'm sorry," he whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything - "**

"**Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal -"**

"Oh," Tonks said catching on. "It was tears of happiness."

"This is just another example of how wizards have mistreated their fellows," Dumbledore sighed unhappily. He shot a meaningful look at Sirius as he said this, but Sirius pretended not to notice.

**Harry, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Harry in an expression of watery adoration.**

"**You can't have met many decent wizards," said Harry, trying to cheer him up.**

**Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"**

"No don't!" Molly called. "He doesn't deserve to beat himself up like that. And if he's any louder then he's going to get Harry in trouble."

"He better not!" Sirius said worryingly.

**"Don't - what are you doing?" Harry hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed - Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.**

"**Dobby had to punish himself, sir," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir -"**

"**Your family?"**

"**The wizard family Dobby serves, sir - Dobby is a house-elf - bound to serve one house and one family forever -"**

"**Do they know you're here?" asked Harry curiously.**

**Dobby shuddered.**

"**Oh, no, sir, no - Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir -"**

"Then how did he get away?" Sirius asked confused.

"There is always one odd house-elf who will try to rebel," Remus answered.

"They're all odd if you ask me," Severus muttered.

"Really, Severus," Minerva said, "Can't you say something nice for a change?"

"**But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"**

"**Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments -"**

"That's harsh," Sirius said. Even he wasn't that cruel to Kreacher. He usually left him alone if possible.

"**But why don't you leave? Escape?"**

"**A house-elf must be set free, sir. And the family will never set Dobby free Dobby will serve the family until he dies, sir -"**

"What a way to go," Tonks said sadly.

**Harry stared.**

"**And I thought I had it bad staying here for another four weeks," he said. "This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't I?" Almost at once, Harry wished he hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.**

"He's so sympathetic to everyone, even another species," declared Remus in amazement. "I mean, do you remember in the first book, he sympathized with a snake? Now he's comparing himself to Dobby."

"Such a kind and sweet boy isn't he?" Molly cooed.

"Oh, please spare me," Severus grumbled.

"**Please," Harry whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here -"**

"**Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby - Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew -"**

"He really has a good heart," sighed Molly.

"He's just hard not to like him," Sirius said before glaring over at Snape. He was trying hard not to be as rude to him as he still felt like he owed Snape one for protecting Harry during his first year. So instead of saying anything out loud he privately thought,_ 'Everyone else can see it, so why can't this greasy git?'_

**Harry, who was feeling distinctly hot in the face, said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she -"**

**But he stopped quickly, because thinking about Hermione was painful.**

Minerva tilted her head slightly. "I don't see why he wasn't getting any mail from them."

"We're about to find out," Arthur said, also wanted to know why his son's letters weren't reaching Harry. Ron must've written at least a letter a day…

**"Harry Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named -"**

"**Voldemort?" said Harry.**

The two Weasleys flinched at the name.

**Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the name!"**

"**Sorry," said Harry quickly. "I know lots of people don't like it. My friend Ron -"**

**He stopped again. Thinking about Ron was painful, too.**

"This is getting sad," Arthur said as he stopped reading. "To be that close and not hear anything from your friends since leaving school."

**Dobby leaned toward Harry, his eyes wide as headlights.**

"**Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Harry Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago - that Harry Potter escaped yet again."**

"Yes," Sirius said proudly. "And he will continue to do so…"

**Harry nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.**

"**Ah, sir," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry Potter is valiant and bold! He has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later - Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."**

"WHAT DID HE SAY?" cried Sirius staring at the book as though it suddenly started sprouting legs and tap-dancing. "Don't go back to school? Is he mad?!"

"He has to go back!" agreed Tonks. "Otherwise…"

"Otherwise he'll be back to living full-time with the Dursleys," Sirius finished for her in disgust.

"But what happened that year?" Remus demanded, looking up at the teachers, who all were looking unnerved.

"It has to be a set up," Sirius decided, not willing to admit that his godson was in anymore danger. "Dobby wouldn't be able to leave without his master's permission. There is no way that he would be doing this on his own."

"Keep telling yourself that," Severus said casually.

**There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon's voice.**

"**W-what?" Harry stammered. "But I've got to go back - term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping me going. You don't know what it's like here. I don't belong here. I belong in your world - at Hogwarts."**

"You tell 'em Harry!" Sirius cheered on.

"**No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger."**

"Oh, well that's clear as mud," Arthur spoke harshly.

"I don't care what kind of danger I'd be in," Sirius barked. "I rather be back at school then stuck in that house with Dudley all the time!"

"**Why?" said Harry in surprise.**

"**There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"**

"I think he'd prefer to put himself in peril then to stay there," Sirius repeated.

Remus on the other hand had gone as pale as the full moon. He snatched the book from Arthur with such force that everyone stared at him. He was always the most quiet and well-mannered out of them all. Remus closed the book to stare at the front cover.

"The Chamber of Secrets…" Remus read again before staring up at Dumbledore, who was finding the carpet very interesting.

Sirius looked from Remus, to the book, before looking at the Headmaster with understanding and terror dawning on his face. "No…" he croaked. "He didn't… you can't tell me that he went and…"

"He did it to save my daughter," Arthur said suddenly, gripping his fists tightly. The gratitude that he and his family felt to Harry saving Ginny that night was more than they could ever repay. He was even more grateful for that then when Harry saved his own life. He knew there was no way to thank Harry completely for what he had done for them, and for what he _continued_ to do for them. It wasn't just Ginny's life Harry had saved… but himself and Ron as well… he didn't think their family would ever be able to let him know how grateful they were to him.

Sirius, Tonks, and Remus stared at him.

"Is anyone going to tell us what happens?" Tonks asked quietly.

"We could tell you," Severus said calmly. "But don't you think that would ruin the story?"

Sirius was biting back the harsh retort that popped into his mind.

Molly was looking impressed that Sirius was controlling himself and didn't need her telling him off. Sirius wanted to keep it that way. He wanted to show her that he could be a mature and responsible godfather… prove her wrong.

Arthur took the book back and quickly found his place.

"**What terrible things?" said Harry at once. "Who's plotting them?"**

_'It would have saved us all a lot of trouble and fear that year if Dobby had been able to tell him,'_ Albus thought to himself sadly.

**Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.**

"**All right!" cried Harry, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning me?" **

"Because Dobby doesn't seem to agree with his family's views," Minerva examined.

**A sudden, unpleasant thought struck him. "Hang on - this hasn't got anything to do with Vol - sorry - with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," he added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.**

**Slowly, Dobby shook his head.**

"**Not - not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, sir -"**

"Then who?" Sirius yelled both surprised and exasperated. Would someone just come out and give him a straight answer on what was happening?

**But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Harry a hint. Harry, however, was completely lost.**

"**He hasn't got a brother, has he?"**

"Oh, that's just what we need!" Sirius called out sarcastically.

**Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.**

**"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Harry. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing - you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"**

"Who doesn't?" Remus asked, causing Albus to blush slightly.

**Dobby bowed his head.**

"**Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, sir. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, sir" - Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper - "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't - powers no decent wizard -"**

**And before Harry could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized Harry's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with earsplitting yelps.**

**A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later Harry, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall, calling, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"**

"Little?" Sirius repeated incredulously. "Compared to what?"

"No, he needs to hide Dobby!" Arthur said worriedly.

"**Quick! In the closet!" hissed Harry, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door, and flinging himself onto the bed just as the door handle turned.**

"**What - the - devil - are - you - doing?" said Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to Harry's. "You've just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke – **

"Oh no!" Sirius called out mocking. "That's a real heartbreaker!"

"I think that Dobby did the Mason's a favor," Tonks said wisely. "I don't think the Dursleys couldn't tell a good joke if their lives depended on it."

**One more sound and you'll wish you'd never been born, boy!"**

"Don't you think for a second that I need a reason to make you wish you'd never been born, Dursley! Now I think I can understand why Harry sympathies with Dobby," Sirius growled while his anger was beginning to build. "The Durselys treat him as bad as Dobby's owners treat him."

He glared at Dumbledore as he said that, who shifted guiltily in his seat.

**He stomped flat-footed from the room.**

**Shaking, Harry let Dobby out of the closet.**

"**See what it's like here?" he said. "See why I've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place I've got - well, I think I've got friends."**

"**Friends who don't even write to Harry Potter?" said Dobby slyly.**

"Hold on, how does he know that they weren't writing to him?" Molly asked angrily. "He took them, didn't he?"

"He the one stopping the mail?" Sirius roared furiously. "What was the point in that?!"

"I guess, he thought that Harry wouldn't want to go back if he thought that his friends didn't care about him?" Arthur suggested, though he too was upset.

"**I expect they've just been - wait a minute," said Harry, frowning. "How do you know my friends haven't been writing to me?"**

**Dobby shuffled his feet.**

"**Harry Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best -"**

"The best?" Sirius repeated incredulously. The only reason he was able to make it through his own summer holidays when he was a student was because he was getting mail from his friends! To imagine not getting anything and being stuck with his family for two whole months was torture.

"**Have you been stopping my letters?"**

**"Dobby has them here, sir," said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of Harry's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Harry could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid.**

**Dobby blinked anxiously up at Harry.**

"**Harry Potter mustn't be angry - Dobby hoped - if Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten him - Harry Potter might not want to go back to school, sir -"**

"Even if I didn't have friends, I would rather go back to the castle then stay home," Sirius scoffed. It took him a reason to realize that he didn't know if he was referring to Harry or himself.

**Harry wasn't listening. He made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.**

"**Harry Potter will have them, sir, if he gives Dobby his word that he will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, sir, this is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, sir!"**

"**No," said Harry angrily. "Give me my friends' letters!"**

"I know that Harry's bad at lying," Tonks said. "But why didn't he at least try?"

"That would've been a bad idea," Albus replied shaking his head. "Dobby now works at Hogwarts. He told me that he had set up a magical contact. If Harry said he wouldn't go, then he truly wouldn't be able to return to Hogwarts. It would be like making an Unbreakable Vow."

"Why that little…" began Sirius, ready for another rant. Arthur went on before Sirius could finish.

"**Then Harry Potter leaves Dobby no choice," said the elf sadly.**

**Before Harry could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs.**

"Just what he didn't need!" Tonks cried anxiously. If they caught him with Dobby, then he was dead!

**Mouth dry, stomach lurching, Harry sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. He jumped the last six steps, landing catlike on the hall carpet, looking around for Dobby. From the dining room he heard Uncle Vernon saying, "- tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. She's been dying to hear -"**

**Harry ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt his stomach disappear.**

**Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby.**

"So, that's what caused the hover charm," Arthur said in realization. "I heard that Harry performed a hover charm three years ago."

"But if Dobby was the one that did it then why did the Ministry blame Harry?" Tonks asked.

"Because," Sirius grumbled. "The Ministry can't tell the difference between common sense and stupidity."

"There's that," said Remus patiently, "And because they can only detect magic from a place, not the person. There was only one wizard who lived at Privet Drive so they automatically blamed him."

"Well, that's rubbish!" Tonks stated, earning several approving nods.

"**No," croaked Harry. "Please - they'll kill me -"**

Sirius froze. He didn't think that Harry was kidding around here. And if he ever found out that those monsters hurt just one hair on his head, he wasn't going to be responsible for his actions if he killed them. "If he laid one finger on him…" he threatened furiously…

**"Harry Potter must say he's not going back to school -"**

**"Dobby - please -"**

**"Say it, sir -"**

**"I can't -"**

**Dobby gave him a tragic look.**

"Oh no…" Minerva sighed.

"**Then Dobby must do it, sir, for Harry Potter's own good."**

**The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished.**

"Typical," Tonks spat. "They made Harry work all day just for muttering nonsense. I don't want to know what they do to him here."

"I can see why this would be considered the _worst birthday_," Arthur said sadly, while Molly gave a sad sigh.

**There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find Harry, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia's pudding.**

**At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over. ("Just our nephew - very disturbed - meeting strangers upsets him, so we kept him upstairs -") He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry he would flay him to within an inch of his life when the Masons had left, **

"They better not have hurt a hair on his head," threatened Sirius, baring his teeth like the dog that he could become.

"They wouldn't… you don't think…?" Molly said in a frightened and horrified tone. She looked around her and said in a whisper, "Did they ever hit him?"

The stared at her, never thinking about that.

"He was bullied and hit by his cousin," Remus said slowly as though every word was causing him pain. "His aunt and uncle… I think they encouraged it… but it never mentioned if _they_ actually physically abused Harry."

Shaking slightly, Arthur went on.

**and handed him a mop. Aunt Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer and Harry, still shaking, started scrubbing the kitchen clean.**

**Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his deal - if it hadn't been for the owl.**

"Hedwig?" Tonks asked in surprise.

"I don't think so," Remus whispered back just as Arthur read: **Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after-dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke.**

"Can't anything go right for him?" demanded Sirius, shaking his head. "Just give him a break!"

**Harry stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support, as Uncle Vernon advanced on him, a demonic glint in his tiny eyes.**

"**Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on - read it!"**

**Harry took it. It did not contain birthday greetings.**

Molly began to cry again.

"Molly?" Minerva said surprisingly gentle.

"It's—it's just that—it was his birthday! Just one thing after another—did he ever have a single decent birthday? Just one day where he didn't have to worry about anything and be a kid?" Molly sniffed.

When no one answered, she went on, "NO! He didn't! He grew up in a house like this! And because of that, the very idea of people caring about him is a strange and alien idea to him! His whole childhood was like this! Neglect, unconcern, and abuse! How can any kid go through this and act so normal?!"

She went on crying for awhile, and with everyone else's attention on her, no one noticed the painful look on Sirius's face.

Once she calmed down, Arthur felt it was safe to go on.

**_Dear Mr. Potter,_**

**_We have received intelligence _**

"That's news to me," Tonks whispered.

**_that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine._**

**_As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school. (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C)._**

**_We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy._**

**_Enjoy your holidays!_**

"Pffft," said Minerva. "Even if we was, he won't be enjoying it now!"

**_Yours sincerely,_**

**_Mafalda Hopkirk_**

**_IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE_**

**_Ministry of Magic_**

**Harry looked up from the letter and gulped.**

"He is so dead," Tonks croaked out and everyone tensed up at what they were sure to hear.

**"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school," said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot to mention it - Slipped your mind, I daresay -"**

_"_He better not have done anything," said Sirius, his eyes were almost turning red from his inner rage. "I swear, for every hair he hurt on my godson's head, I'm taking a limb!"

**He was bearing down on Harry like a great bulldog, all his teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you, boy - I'm locking you up - You're never going back to that school - never – **

"WHAT?" yelled most of them.

"He couldn't do that!" Tonks yelled furious.

"That does it," Sirius said getting up and pacing the room, kicking the table out of his way. "Death's too good for them. I'm going to keep them alive for as long as possible and torture them in every horrendous way imaginable."

**and if you try and magic yourself out - they'll expel you!"**

**And laughing like a maniac, he dragged Harry back upstairs.**

"Get your filthy hands off him!" roared Sirius, unable to take it any longer. He headed for the door. Remus, who already predicted this, whipped out his wand and sealed the door.

"Sirius! Please wait until we know everything they've done before you rush off and torture them!" Remus cried.

"Yeah," Tonks agreed. "If you get caught now then you're looking at a one-way ticket back to Azkaban!"

Sirius couldn't care less; he just wanted to make that family pay. He wanted to turn them into slugs and squash them flat, to torture them senseless, to make them ever regret the treatment that they gave to his godson. He just started swearing at the top of his lungs. And it was proof just how upset Molly was, because she didn't even try to tell him off.

Once he had shouted out every profanity word that he knew he went back to his seat and sat down, feeling slightly better after his outburst.

**Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Harry's window. **

Severus couldn't hide the anger from his face any longer. Potter's home life was a painful reminder of his own awful past… but not even his own father had put bars on his window.

Remus's mouth hung open, and he looked like he was searching for the right words to express his obvious rage.

Minerva and Albus were stunned that any people could be so horrible.

"WHAT? YOU MEAN THERE REALLY WERE BARS?" Molly screamed scandalized.

"You mean you knew about this?!" Sirius yelled at her dumbfounded.

"Ron, and the twins told us," Arthur said through numb lips. He had thought that they boys were only saying that to justify flying the car.

"I THOUGHT THEY WERE EXAGGERATING!" Molly yelled.

"Wait," Tonks cried looking at them, "How did they know about this?"

Rather than answer, Arthur went on.

**He himself fitted a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so that small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let Harry out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, he was locked in his room around the clock.**

"_THAT IS ABSOLUTLY DISGUSTING!"_ cried Molly, red in the face and tears beginning to form. "_HOW CAN THEY JUSTIFY TREATING A CHILD LIKE THAT? AND THEIR OWN NEPHEW NONETHELESS!?"_

Everyone was in shock at this treatment. Albus was feeling like a real monster for placing Harry in that house. His excuses were running low… if he heard anymore about this kind of behavior then he didn't think that he would have it in him to make Harry keep going back there. But keeping Harry alive was his greatest priority. But was this really worth it? Having Harry forced in this kind of environment?

He glanced over at Severus who was looking conflicted. For brief moment, he felt himself almost smiled as he knew Severus's attitude towards the boy was already changing… little by little. Maybe there was hope for him after all.

"He might as well have just been thrown in prison, hell he would be better off in there!" said Sirius. If he was upset about hearing Harry's home life before, it was nothing to how he felt now. Because he was stupid enough to go after Wormtail… they both had to spend years locked away in a prison. How did Harry NOT hate him after all he went through? He was supposed to be Harry's protector… to take care of him, but now it seems like the other way around.

Just like that night when Harry tried to protect him from those Dementors and helped him escape. Some godfather he was. Since when does the godfather need protecting by the boy he was supposed to be taking care of?

**Three days later, **

If you had been downstairs, you would've thought that some sort of explosion had happened upstairs. For several voices were screaming so loudly that the portraits had all awoke and began screaming again.

Tonks left the room to go and shut them up while the ones still in the room continued their shouting match until they ran out of breath.

"Three days?!" Molly said croakily after her voice gave. "You mean that he was locked up for three whole days?!"

"They aren't human," Sirius said wrathfully. "Monsters… heartless monsters… that's what they are. They deserve to rot in the lowest level of hell for this."

**the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and Harry couldn't see any way out of his situation. He lay on his bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was going to happen to him.**

"Someone better get him out of there," Sirius turned to the others.

"He should be getting out soon," Arthur promised him, now wishing that his sons borrowed the car a little earlier. "He spent at least half of the holidays with us."

Sirius was still breathing hard, but he seemed comforted by this idea. But how on earth did Harry get out of there?

**What was the good of magicking himself out of his room if Hogwarts would expel him for doing it? Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now that the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, he had lost his only weapon. Dobby might have saved Harry from horrible happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, he'd probably starve to death anyway.**

"Don't you dare say that," Sirius groaned, putting a hand on his own thin stomach. He knew full well what it felt like to be hungry. He had come close to starving to death plenty of times… for his godson to feel like he was in Azkaban was just to horrible.

**The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunias hand appeared, pushing a bowl of canned soup into the room. Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone-cold, but he drank half of it in one gulp. **

At those last few lines, everyone shut up and became lost in their own thoughts.

_*Sirius*_

Sirius just sat back with his arms folded and glared at Dumbledore with complete hatred. Everything he had just learned about his godson through the first book was running through his head as well as what he just heard. Harry's _room _had been a cupboard under the stairs, and still Harry had never complained. If Dumbledore had known about this, then he was at the very top of Sirius's murder list.

He had been forced to spend 12 years in prison, _and_ surrounded by Dementors day and night. Those years had left deep scars in Sirius's mind and heart. There were plenty of times that he was close to losing his mind.

And now he learns that Harry had to suffer through something like that for ten years of his life, and then be forced back there every summer? He should've seen that something was wrong that night when he and Harry met face to face. Harry had just found out that Sirius was innocent just minutes before and had jumped at his offer for Harry to come and live with him. No one would want to leave their family that quickly unless they weren't happy there.

He, himself, was just so happy that Harry agreed so quickly that he never thought twice about it. He just couldn't believe that he never noticed before…

How could he let this happen? Where was he when his godson needed him most? Oh that's right, he was stuck rotting away in a cell on a god-forsaken island! Even now, he couldn't even write letters to Harry anymore telling him that everything was going to be ok.

All he wanted right now was for his godson to be sitting next to him. He wanted to hold him tight and never let him go. He wanted to beg for forgiveness… for Harry to forgive him for leaving him alone when he should've taken care of him. But Harry wasn't here. He was up at the school that was being ruled by a tyrannical toad, and having practically the whole Wizarding world thinking that he's mentally unstable and insane!

He never felt more useless than he did right now. Not for the first time since reading these books, he felt tears burning his eyes. He shut them tight fighting against the wave of emotions that were fighting to break out…

But he might've tried to stop the sun rising for all the good it did…

_*Remus*_

Remus shook his head as he stared from Sirius to Dumbledore, waiting for the next big angry outburst. They would really have to talk to Harry about this, if the teen didn't think twice about being bullied or locked away in a closet, Remus wasn't sure if he wanted to read any further.

He was so angry at himself for not trying to take Harry away from there when he was younger, or at the very least visit him and make sure that he was being treated right. He hated himself for the fact that he didn't see Harry again until he teenager… and as a stranger.

He couldn't believe that the happy-go-lucky baby boy had turned into a serious and stubborn teenage boy. He suddenly felt something warm and sticky on his hand… he had gripped his fists so tightly that his fingernails had cut into his skin and tiny blood droplets began to leak out.

_*Severus*_

Snape was having a difficult time griping his emotions; he was torn between dislike and pity. He could feel his hate slowly started fading away, he still _detested_ the boy but he could no longer bring himself to actually hate someone who grew up in a household that wasn't unlike the home he once was forced to live in. All this time he thought that the boy was spoiled and pampered throughout his childhood. But instead… for the first time he was starting to see a small boy who was his own person… not just as James Potter's clone.

Even if he was James Potter's son… he always hated parents who would treat a kid like trash.

Shaking his head, not believing that he was actually feeling sorry for Potter, he observed the reactions around him. They all looked angry—and sad. He looked to his old teacher. They were protecting Potter for Lily—what would she say if she knew her only son had grew up in a house like that? He shuttered at the very thought.

_*Tonks*_

How could someone go through all this and still turn out so polite and selfless? It was completely… she couldn't even find a word to fit it. She didn't know Harry as well as most of the other people in the room, but she still found herself to care and be very fond of him. He was a good friend, and he always seemed to be putting the needs of others before his own.

If she didn't know better, she could've sworn that he grew up in a respectful and loved home for him to turn out like this.

She gritted her teeth as both her face and hair turned a fiery-red. She longed to go over to Privet Drive and jinx them so badly that they would never step outside again. She glanced up, waiting for the right moment to ask if she could go and teach them a lesson.

_*Minerva*_

Why hadn't Harry ever said anything about this? He probably didn't want to talk about it… but that was just making things worse.

Was it possible that he just didn't understand how wrong it was? Clearly he knew it wasn't right, but he never complained and seemed to just accept it as if he thought he deserved it. Did he not understand how _horrible _it truly was?

Minerva began to wonder how much damage the Dursleys really had done. How much of that self-sacrificing part of his nature came from constantly being shot down and forced to think that he was nothing but a waste of space?

And everything that happened at school… she looked up accusingly at Dumbledore and knew that she shouldn't have let him leave the boy at that house…

_*Arthur*_

Harry was like a son to him. He spent the majority of almost every holiday with him and his family. He put up with all of his family's antics, and was always willing to do what he could to help them. If it wasn't for him then he and Ginny wouldn't still alive right now.

Harry risked his life to go to save Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, and if he didn't have that vision of him being attacked, then he would've been dead by the time that anyone found him.

And now he found out what Harry's childhood was truly like. He could understand why he never wanted to talk about it… but to suffer like this in silence for so long…?

How could he have gone through all this and still keep going, trying to have a normal life? He was truly a remarkable young man. He looked to his old Headmaster, silently pleading that he would show some sign of allowing Harry to leave that home forever and come straight to their house as soon as summer comes around.

_*Molly*_

How could any mother let this happen? To spoil and pamper to their child's every need and want, and then just ignore and lock away another child even if it wasn't your own? Harry was her sister's son… and to completely disregard and lie to him about his parents? Petunia was a poor excuse for a parent! Her own sister died to protect Harry, and then she goes and completely ignores her sacrifice?

Petunia Dursley had no right to call herself a mother!

But even after all that… he was still the kindest and sweetest boy that she ever had the pleasure to meet. Now she understood why Harry was always so thin and pale looking whenever she saw him. She knew that she could never take Lily's place… but the boy needed a mother. And she decided that she would do her best to be that for him.

She glanced at Dumbledore, as though daring him to try and make him go back there.

_*Albus*_

He could feel accusing eyes on him and looked up, only not being able to truly see anyone. He felt older than he was, weak with sorrow and regret. His thoughts were running through his mind. Harry, someone who was so trusting and brave, had been treated like an animal by the people who should've treated him like he was part of a family. No… on second thought, even animals were treated better than this.

_Squash it out… bars on his window… hundreds of chores on his birthday…_ The words rang clearly in his mind, reminding him of his biggest mistakes that he just seemed to be repeating. Harry was locked away—hiding from the world just like he did to his own sister Ariana.

Just thinking about how similar Harry and Ariana were was making him feel, if possible, even worse.

Both were young and innocent… both suffered great tragedy early on in their lives before they were hidden and locked away, both had loving mothers who did everything they could to protect their child, and both ended up losing that mother to death…

But most of all—they both had family members who wished that their responsibility caring for them would just go away. Wishing that they would simply disappear.

Feeling sick, he decided that he would have a talk with Petunia, but just to give Harry even the slightest peace from the war for at least a little while, was something that he'd been striving to do since Voldemort's failed to kill him that Halloween night.

He knew that Privet Drive was the safest place for Harry except Hogwarts. But he suddenly felt like he was just as cruel as the Dursleys… he just wished that he could wipe his brain clean of this information… to forget and pretend that nothing was wrong like he always done.

But if he did, then he really would be as bad as the Dursleys… or that little teenage boy that let his sister down so badly in the past.

_*Normal POV*_

**Then he crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray. She ruffled her feathers and gave him a look of deep disgust.**

"That owl has some serious attitude," Tonks said laughing.

"It's not Harry's fault!" Molly said. But she couldn't help but smile slightly. Even though he was locked in his room with only one can of cold soup, he still gave half of it to his owl, even when he wasn't sure when he would eat next. Now that's kindness.

"**It's no good turning your beak up at it - that's all we've got," said Harry grimly.**

_"_No wonder he always needs feeding up!" Molly cried. The poor thing was practically skin and bones!

**He put the empty bowl back on the floor next to the cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, somehow even hungrier than he had been before the soup.**

**Supposing he was still alive in another four weeks, what would happen if he didn't turn up at Hogwarts? Would someone be sent to see why he hadn't come back? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let him go?**

"If you don't," Sirius growled at Dumbledore, "I sure as hell will!"

**The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, Harry fell into an uneasy sleep.**

**He dreamed that he was on show in a zoo, with a card reading UNDERAGE WIZARD attached to his cage. People goggled through the bars at him as he lay, starving and weak, on a bed of straw. He saw Dobby's face in the crowd and shouted out, asking for help, but Dobby called, "Harry Potter is safe there, sir!" and vanished. Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley rattled the bars of the cage, laughing at him.**

"That doesn't sound that different from his current living conditions," Remus said sadly.

"**Stop it," Harry muttered as the rattling pounded in his sore head. "Leave me alone - cut it out - I'm trying to sleep -"**

**He opened his eyes. Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window. And someone was goggling through the bars at him: a freckle-faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone.**

"Don't tell me," Sirius said as a smile began to stretch across his face.

"They did," Arthur said smiling widely.

**Ron Weasley was outside Harry's window.**

"YES!" Sirius cried ecstatically. "That's what I call a real friend!"

"You must be so proud," Severus said, it was hard to tell if it was sarcastic or not.

Arthur just laughed as Molly rolled her eyes, but she was also smiling.

"Thank goodness that's over," Remus said as he leaned back in his seat and grinned. Sirius and Tonks were both grinning along with him, they couldn't agree more.

Arthur turned the page and asked, "Does anyone else want to read next?"

"I'll do it," Molly answered, looking happier than she had been since they started. He passed the book next to her and she read out, "**Chapter 3: The Burrow**.


	4. About my first story

_**Ok.**_

_**They just deleted my first story... again.**_

_**So, i have put it up on one last site. If you want to know where it is then look on my profile. there's the link.**_


	5. The Burrow

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 3: The Burrow**

"I'll do it," Molly answered, looking happier than she had been since they started. He passed the book next to her and she read out, "**Chapter 3: The Burrow**.

**"Ron." breathed Harry, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. "Ron, how did you —? What the** —?"

**Harry's mouth fell open as the full impact of what he was seeing hit him. Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in midair. **

"A flying car?!" Sirius repeated in excitement. "That's almost as good as my old flying motorcycle was!"

"You mean to tell me that you approve of this?" Molly hissed. "Don't you realize just how dangerous that was? They could be seen by anyone! Muggles could've spotted them… or they could've crashed and died! Do you have any idea how worried I was when I saw that their beds were empty? And then when I saw the car was gone?! Did they even leave me a note? NOOOOO!"

"Molly, dear?" Arthur said timidly. "Maybe you should keep reading?"

She glared at him and he automatically put his head down and shut up.

"That's harsh," Tonks whispered so softly that Molly didn't hear her.

Once Molly had calmed down, she went back to the story.

**Grinning at Harry from the front seats were Fred and George, Ron's elder twin brothers.**

"Of course," Remus said, shaking his head with a smile. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I should've known that this was their idea," Molly exclaimed. "I'll have to be sure to send another Howler after this chapter."

"**All right, Harry?" asked George.**

"**What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? **

"Maybe because he wasn't getting them," Tonks said sourly.

**I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and said you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles —"**

"But it wasn't his fault!" Molly interrupted herself.

**"It wasn't me — and how did he know?"**

"**He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school —"**

"Didn't he just _say _he didn't do it?!" Sirius sighed exasperatedly.

"Forget the hover charm," Minerva said, "What about the flying car?"

**"You should talk," said Harry, staring at the floating car.**

"Hmm," Minerva said as she narrowed her eyes at Arthur who was staring interested at a spot on the wall. "Do you mind telling us how they were able to enchant the car?" she asked him.

"Yes," Albus's eyes twinkled joyfully. "I would like to know that myself."

"They—er—well you see," Arthur began nervously as his wife began looking at him with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Why… why don't we let the book tell us?" he said at last, which sounded like a whimper.

**"Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this. It's Dad's, we didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with —"**

"How many times does Harry have to repeat that, it wasn't him?" Tonks cried exasperated. "Ron just can't take a hint."

"What do you expect?" Severus exclaimed. "The boy has a block of wood for a brain so he can't gasp anything too complicated for him."

Lucky for him, the parents of the boy he just insulted were busy having a heated argument so they didn't hear him.

"Arthur, what were you thinking?" Molly began heatedly. "You told me that you only wanted to know how a car worked when you brought that old thing home! But you just had to enchant it didn't you? Do you realize that you broke your OWN law? What was going through you head when you were charming it? Why I outta…"

Everyone else in the room was glad to see when Arthur fought back… well sort of.

"Well… uh… I told you before…" Arthur began pathetically. "As… as long as I wasn't intending… to—er—use it then… then technically…"

"Arthur! You made sure that there were loopholes in those laws!" she yelled at him. And she was off again. Sirius sighed, this was getting real old.

"Ah, Molly?" Remus asked, "If you rather, I would be more than happy to read?"

"Huh?" Molly asked distracted from her rant. "Oh, no dear," she said with a smile. "It's my turn anyway." She went back to the book and Arthur gave Remus a grateful smile.

**"I told you, I didn't — but it'll take too long to explain now — look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked me up and won't let me come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the Ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days, so —"**

"Tell them?" Sirius repeated. "Did he honestly think that they flew all the way to get him and then just leave him there once they saw the bars?" But he couldn't keep the smile off his face because he knew that Harry would soon be out of that prison.

"I think that he didn't know if they could get him out without using magic," Albus said reasonably. "He most likely didn't want to get them in trouble."

"Come on!" Sirius said starting to get annoyed. "Can't he think about himself for once? You're allowed to use magic in case of emergencies! I say that this definitely counts as an emergency!"

Severus glared at the floor, hating the fact that Potter was once again proving that he wasn't as selfish as he first thought.

"That's beside the point," Remus said grinning widely. "He's forgetting that Fred and George are with him. They don't need magic to pull a stunt off."

**"Stop gibbering," said Ron. "We've come to take you home with us."**

**"But you can't magic me out either —"**

**"We don't need to," said Ron, jerking his head toward the front seat and grinning. "You forget who I've got with me."**

"They better not have done anything illegal to get him out of there," Molly warned.

"Would you be upset if they did?" Tonks asked. "I mean, they only did it to help him."

Rather than answer, Molly decided to ignore her and went on.

**"Tie that around the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Harry.**

**"If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead," said Harry as he tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car.**

"Should I be concerned that I don't think he's exaggerating?" Remus asked through tight lips.

"I swear…" Sirius promised. "If they did any more damage than this, I will leave right now and…" But the story continued before he could finish.

**"Don't worry," said Fred, "and stand back."**

**Harry moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realized how important this was and kept still and silent. **

"Smart owl," Moody stated.

**The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air. Harry ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. Harry listened anxiously, but there was no sound from the Dursleys' bedroom.**

"Really?" Sirius said in surprised, "Blimey, they must sleep like the dead to not hear their _prisoner_," he said the word prisoner as though it was physically hurting him, "Is escaping."

**When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to Harry's window.**

**"Get in," Ron said.**

**"But all my Hogwarts stuff — my wand — my broomstick —"**

"Oh, yes," Minerva said remembering suddenly. "They're still locked under the stairs."

"That might be a bit of a problem," Arthur said anxiously.

**"Where is it?"**

**"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and I can't get out of this room —"**

**"No problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Harry."**

**Fred and George climbed catlike through the window into Harry's room. You had to hand it to them, thought Harry, as George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock.**

"Yes," Sirius grinned. He always did like these two, but they seem to get better every book.

**"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow."**

**There was a small click and the door swung open.**

"They are good," Sirius said approvingly, earning a stern look from Molly. "Come on," he said to her with a grin. "You can't tell me that you're not glad that they did this?"

She just stuck her nose up at him and went back to reading. Secretly, she was glad that her boys got Harry out of that terrible home. Not that she would ever admit to it of course—least of all to Sirius Black.

**"So — we'll get your trunk — you grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron," whispered George.**

**"Watch out for the bottom stair — it creaks," Harry whispered back as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing.**

**Harry dashed around his room, collecting his things and passing them out of the window to Ron. Then he went to help Fred and George heave his trunk up the stairs. Harry heard Uncle Vernon cough.**

"They might want to hurry this rescue up," Tonks said worriedly. "But they're doing alright so far."

"It was luck and skill that got them this far," Remus said softly. "They better hope it lasts until they all get back in the car."

**At last, panting, they reached the landing, then carried the trunk through Harry's room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron, and Harry and George pushed from the bedroom side. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window.**

**Uncle Vernon coughed again.**

"Hope he chokes in his sleep," Sirius growled.

**"A bit more," panted Fred, who was pulling from inside the car. "One good push..."**

**Harry and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car.**

"Does anyone else get the feeling that they're forgetting something?" Severus asked.

"Now that you mention it…" Arthur stated.

**"Okay, let's go," George whispered.**

**But as Harry climbed onto the windowsill there came a sudden loud screech from behind him, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice.**

**"THAT RUDDY OWL!"**

"Hedwig will put up with a lot," Minerva confirmed. "But getting left behind is not one of them."

"Guess that just proves how badly Harry wanted out of that dump," Tonks said.

**"I've forgotten Hedwig!"**

"Ya think?" Tonks asked sarcastically.

**Harry tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on — he snatched up Hedwig's cage, dashed to the window, and passed it out to Ron. He was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door — and it crashed open.**

"Can you imagine the look on his fat face when he saw what was happening?" Sirius said grinning until Molly read out the next line with a look of fury.

**For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle.**

"Get your hands off him if you know what's good for you!" Sirius bellowed. All of them, even Severus to his greatest surprise, nodded in agreement.

Albus's hands clenched tightly. He didn't know how much longer he could bear listening to this.

**Ron, Fred, and George seized Harry's arms and pulled as hard as they could.**

"**Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "He's getting away! HE'S GETTING AWAY!"**

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM?!" Sirius roared, causing everyone else to jump. "You think that he would be glad that Harry's leaving! Why is he trying to stop him?" This man was sick. Just as sick and twisted as his own parents were. Dursley couldn't care less about Harry. His own nephew could've been lying dead in a gutter for all he cared. So why was he really this desperate to keep him imprisoned? Why did he want to keep him locked up and half-starved so badly?

"Well, he knows Harry enjoys himself at Hogwarts and doesn't want that to happen," Minerva suggested angrily. "But still… this is just…" Words failed her on how outraged she was on all this.

"I would bet that it's also fear," Severus commented. "Fear that Potter will use magic on them."

"Well, he wouldn't have had to worry about that if they treated him right in the first place!" Molly screamed. If she didn't cry so hard in the last chapter then she wouldn't started all over again. There was something seriously wrong with these people.

Arthur and Albus stared at each other for a moment. Arthur was pleading silently to never allow Harry to go back there. Dumbledore's will was failing fast.

**But the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp — Harry was in the car — he'd slammed the door shut —**

**"Put your foot down, Fred!" yelled Ron, and the car shot suddenly toward the moon.**

**Harry couldn't believe it — he was free. **

"Oh, you better believe it!" Tonks said, a smile finally back on her face.

**He rolled down the window, the night air whipping his hair, and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all hanging, dumbstruck, out of Harry's window.**

"**See you next summer!" Harry yelled.**

"No! No, no, no, no, no," Sirius begged. "Please, no!"

Remus also began to beg, "Dumbledore, I'm sure that we can find any place safer than Privet Drive for Harry!"

"He only has to go back two more times," Albus answered them, though his excuses were getting just as feeble as he was feeling.

"If they don't kill him during those two times!" Arthur said getting frustrated.

"I don't want to hear you talk like that," Molly sniffled. "So I'm just going to keep reading."

**The Weasleys roared with laughter and Harry settled back in his seat, grinning from ear to ear.**

**"Let Hedwig out," he told Ron. "She can fly behind us. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings for ages."**

"Oh, she must be happy for that," Molly sighed happily.

"She's been locked up to, after all," Sirius said. "She's probably feeling what Harry was feeling."

**George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment later, Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like a ghost.**

**"So — what's the story, Harry?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?"**

"Long story short," Sirius began bitterly, "A mad house-elf named Dobby had been stealing his mail, ruin dinner party which led to the Dursleys knowing that he can't use magic outside school, and he had been locked up for three days."

**Harry told them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given Harry and the fiasco of the violet pudding. There was a long, shocked silence when he had finished.**

**"Very fishy," said Fred finally.**

**"Definitely dodgy" agreed George. "So he wouldn't even tell you who's supposed to be plotting all this stuff?"**

**"I don't think he could," said Harry. "I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall."**

"Convenient," Moody said.

**He saw Fred and George look at each other.**

**"What, you think he was lying to me?" said Harry.**

"No, something tells me that he was telling you the truth… well he tried to anyway," Tonks said.

**"Well," said Fred, "put it this way — house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?"**

"Oh, I can think of a few," Sirius said rolling his eyes bitterly.

**"Yes," said Harry and Ron together, instantly.**

**"Draco Malfoy," Harry explained. "He hates me."**

"You don't say?" Tonks asked sarcastically, which caused Sirius to laugh.

**"Draco Malfoy?" said George, turning around. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"**

**"Must be, it's not a very common name, is it?" said Harry.**

"No," Arthur said. "And thank God for that."

"Arthur!" Molly said in surprise.

"What?" Sirius said. "You know it's true."

**"I've heard Dad talking about him," said George. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."**

**"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," said Fred, craning around to look at Harry, "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung — Dad reckons he was right in You- Know-Who's inner circle."**

"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius said, "How much do any of you want to bet that he bought his way out of Azkaban?"

Severus had to silently agree. Lucius always did use his money to get out of problems.

**Harry had heard these rumors about Malfoy's family before, and they didn't surprise him at all. Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful, and sensitive boy…**

**"I don't know whether the Malfoys own a house-elf…" said Harry.**

"Well, they used to," ALbus said, and no one could understand the sly smile on his face.

"Are we missing something?" Minerva asked him. He just waved his hand at Molly, asking her to continue.

**"Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family, and they'll be rich," said Fred.**

**"Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," said George. "But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House-elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house…"**

**Harry was silent. Judging by the fact that Draco Malfoy usually had the best of everything, his family was rolling in wizard gold; he could just see Malfoy strutting around a large manor house. Sending the family servant to stop Harry from going back to Hogwarts also sounded exactly like the sort of thing Malfoy would do. Had Harry been stupid to take Dobby seriously?**

"No," Molly said more to herself. "No, I don't think he would do that. That Dobby sounded sincere and tried his best to warn Harry. I don't think he was lying."

"I agree," Remus said. "Harry's got good instincts. They're almost never wrong when it comes to things like this."

**"I'm glad we came to get you, anyway," said Ron. "I was getting really worried when you didn't answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol's fault at first —"**

**"Who's Errol?"**

**"Our owl. He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he'd collapsed on a delivery. **

"Maybe you should consider letting Errol retire?" Remus asked Molly and Arthur. "I think that he's deserved it."

"We will once we… er… get a new one," Arthur stated uncomfortably. The problem was that owls were very expensive, and they couldn't afford to spend their money on just anything.

**So then I tried to borrow Hermes —"**

**"Who?"**

**"The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect," said Fred from the front.**

Molly gave a small sob at the mention of her third son and Arthur's face twisted in pain.

**"But Percy wouldn't lend him to me," said Ron. "Said he needed him."**

**"Percy's been acting very oddly this summer," said George, frowning. "And he has been sending a lot of letters and spending a load of time shut up in his room… I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge… **

"What was he doing?" Sirius asked interested, temporary forgetting that Percy wasn't talking to the rest of the family.

When he saw the pained expressions on the Weasley's faces, he croaked out, "Oh, no. Molly, Arthur? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry… I just forgot."

"It's ok," Arthur said. "It's just—hard listening to this. It reminds me when things were simple. We weren't in the middle of a war and our kids could live in peace."

Molly sniffed. "This is all wrong," she said, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. "Why did any of this have to happen?"

No one could give her an answer that would soothe her, so she could only settle for her husband's arms around her. Once she felt herself get a grip on herself, she continued reading.

**You're driving too far west, Fred," he added, pointing at a compass on the dashboard. Fred twiddled the steering wheel.**

**"So, does your dad know you've got the car?" said Harry, guessing the answer.**

Molly glared at him suddenly.

"I swear!" Arthur cried at once, holding his hands up. "I didn't know! I was as surprised as you were when I heard!"

Everyone else smirked. It wouldn't surprise any of them if he gave his sons the keys to the car himself and told them to be back before dawn.

**"Er, no," said Ron, "he had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it."**

"Something tells me that it didn't go as well as planned?" Albus asked her slyly.

"They honestly thought that I wouldn't notice it?!" she said furiously. "How could I not notice that they and the car were gone?"

**"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?"**

"**He works in the most boring department," said Ron. "The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."**

"It's not boring!" Arthur said indigently. "I find it very interesting! There's never a boring moment!"

"And you enchanted a car to fly because…?" Minerva asked with eyebrows raised. "Doesn't that go against your job description?"

He pretended to be deaf and didn't look at any of them until his wife thought that he suffered enough and continued reading.

**"The what?"**

**"It's all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare — Dad was working overtime for weeks."**

**"What happened?"**

Arthur groaned at the memory; just thinking about that made him ill.

**"The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic — it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office — and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up —"**

"Yes," Arthur said. "It was a nightmare."

**"But your dad — this car —"**

**Fred laughed. "Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back together again. If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad."**

Arthur blushed bright red as Molly glared at him and spoke through gritted teeth. "Do you really do that? I know that it drives me mad… but do you really enchant EVERY Muggle item you bring home?"

"Ah…" Albus said, noticing the look on Arthur's face. "Maybe you two can talk about this some other time? I'm sure that you both will make an appearance in the book soon."

She glared at her husband for a moment longer before she read out just a little bit faster than before.

**"That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes… Just as well, it's getting light…"**

**A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east.**

"Sounds beautiful," Tonks sighed.

_'Probably even more beautiful because Harry didn't have to see the sunrise through bars,' _Sirius thought to himself. He knew the feeling all too well… he remembered seeing his first sunrise after he escaped. He couldn't remember ever seeing anything more gorgeous. If only he could see it one more time outside this house.

**Fred brought the car lower, and Harry saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees.**

**"We're a little way outside the village," said George. "Ottery St. Catchpole."**

**Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees.**

"Wish I could see that," Tonks sighed dreamily.

**Touchdown!" said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard, and Harry looked out for the first time at Ron's house.**

**It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic (which Harry reminded himself, it probably was). **

"Actually," Arthur said proudly. "It is!"

**Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.**

Molly sighed happily at the mention of her home. She and the rest of her family missed it so much over the summer and it felt so good to move back in.

**"It's not much," said Ron.**

**"It's wonderful," said Harry happily, thinking of Privet Drive.**

**They got out of the car.**

**"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car."**

"Did they honestly think that would work?" Sirius sighed in disappointment. "You think they could come up with something more believable than that?"

"Not that it would help them," Molly said getting angry. "I was up and waiting for them so that I could tell them off!"

"Perhaps," Albus answered as he looked to Molly with a smile. "But I think that they were hoping that you would be distracted by Harry being there."

Remus laughed at that, "That is what the twins told me. They told me that you just adore him. They say that he may not be your son but he's your favorite."

"They say that do they?" she said with her eyebrows raised. It was hard not to love the boy. Harry wasn't like any of her sons—not that she didn't love them any less. But Harry was so… different from the rest of them.

He was quieter than Bill, gentler than Charlie, more trusting and laid-back than Percy—her heart panged at the thought of her son—much more well-behaved and polite than Fred and George combined, and had much more tact than Ron…

He had something different… he had something that couldn't help but inspire and unite people.

**"Right," said Ron. "Come on, Harry, I sleep at the — at the top —"**

**Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on the house. The other three wheeled around.**

**Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger.**

"I'm glad that I'm not the only one who sees the resemblance!" Sirius said jokingly.

"I don't look like that!" she said. "Do I?" she asked Arthur.

"AH…"

Sensing danger, Remus said, "How much longer is this chapter?"

Forgetting about the tiger remark she said, "It's a little bit longer."

Arthur sighed in relief.

**"Ah, "said Fred.**

**"Oh, dear," said George.**

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Severus exclaimed.

**Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket.**

**"So," she said.**

**"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.**

"Did it sound jaunty and winning?" Tonks asked interested.

"No," she replied, "It sounded weak and scared."

**"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.**

**"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to —"**

**All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them.**

"I don't think there is a person alive who wouldn't cower if you were angry at them," Remus said to her, obviously in a good mood.

"Yes," agreed Tonks. "Well, except Sirius. You both go at it all the time, but he never once back down."

"So that proves I'm brave!" Sirius said proudly.

"No, it proves that you're reckless and insane," Minerva stated.

Sirius rolled his eyes at her and muttered under his breath that sounded like, "Women."

**"Beds empty! No note! Car gone — could have crashed — out of my mind with worry — did you care? — never, as long as I've lived — you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy —"**

**"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred.**

Again, the parents looked sad. Molly glanced at him miserably, who could only grip her hand tightly. Percy leaving was hard for the whole family.

**"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job —"**

**It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs. Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harry, who backed away.**

"Don't worry, Harry," Tonks said cheerfully. "After all, you're her favorite."

Most of them laugh, except for Severus who was still having trouble accepting that Potter wasn't as much like his father as he had first thought, and Molly who blushed in embarrassment.

"Just asking," Sirius asked her, "Have you ever told Harry off?"

"Pffft," Tonks snorted. "As if she'd yell at him…"

As they all began to laugh, Molly was staring at Sirius whose face turned into one of complete gratitude. _'Thank you.'_ He mouthed at her.

She blushed even redder at that, with a smug smile on her face.

**"I'm very pleased to see you, Harry, dear," she said. "Come in and have some breakfast."**

**She turned and walked back into the house and Harry, after a nervous glance at Ron, who nodded encouragingly, followed her.**

"Why was he scared?" Severus asked confused.

"She at just been shouting at Ron and the twins for who-knows-how-long," Remus sighed. "And besides… he must've been yelled at and blamed for everything back at the Dursleys, it's going to take some time for him to get used to being around kind people."

Molly smiled sadly, glad that she could help Harry, but also heartrending that he had spent years being yelled at for no good reason.

"At least were done with the Durselys for the rest of the book," Sirius said, determine not to let his thoughts about those bastards ruin his good mood. But he did shoot yet another angry look at Dumbledore before he put it out of his mind.

**The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle, and Harry sat down on the edge of his seat, looking around. He had never been in a wizard house before.**

**The clock on the wall opposite him had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like Time to make tea, Time to feed the chickens, and You're late. **

"That's how I knew they were gone," Molly said with a frown. "I went downstairs for some hot chocolate, and I saw that their hands on the clock were pointed to traveling. I went up to check and saw that they were gone… and when I went to look outside… the car was gone!"

**Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like _Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking,_** **and_ One Minute Feasts — It's Magic!_ And unless Harry's ears were deceiving him, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."**

**Mrs. Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know what you were thinking of," and "never would have believed it."**

**"I don't blame you, dear," she assured Harry, tipping eight or nine sausages onto his plate. **

Albus smiled a bit, grateful that Molly was taking care of Harry now. If there was anyone who needed a mother figure, it was Harry.

"He looked so thin," Molly said shaking her head. "He needed all the food he could get."

**"Arthur and I have been worried about you, too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to his plate) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country — anyone could have seen you —"**

"Well, look at the bright side," Sirius said happily. "No one did!"

"That's hardly the point, Sirius," she retorted.

**She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background.**

**"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred.**

**"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.**

**"They were starving him, Mum!" said George.**

"Did you believe that?" Remus asked.

"Like I said during the last chapter," Molly said ashamed. "I thought that they were exaggerating. If I knew the treatment that they were giving him…" she couldn't go on. To angry with herself.

"How could we have known?" Arthur asked her gently. "If we knew what was really going on, then there was no way that we would've stood for it."

She nodded dully.

**"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him.**

**At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again.**

**"Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."**

"You mean to tell me that she was a fan girl?" Sirius asked with a bark of laughter.

"You leave her alone!" Arthur called to him, but he too was grinning.

**"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry," Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. Nothing more was said until all four plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time.**

**"Blimey, I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and —"**

"Nice try…" Sirius said, leaning back with his fingers behind his head. "You're not getting off that easily."

**"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again —"**

"Harsh," Sirius smirked.

"If they think that they got away this time, then they would've thought that they could do it again," Molly said darkly. "And they might not be as lucky if they ever did!"

**"Oh, Mum —"**

**"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. "You can go up to bed, dear," she added to Harry. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car —"**

**But Harry, who felt wide awake, said quickly, "I'll help Ron. I've never seen a de-gnoming —"**

"Now, that's a perfect guest," Tonks smirked. "Someone who wants to help with chores and punishments."

"Bet that you liked hearing that," Remus asked Molly and she smiled back.

"It's not everyday you meet someone so polite," she said.

**"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject —"**

**And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece. George groaned.**

"Lockhart…" Sirius said. "Please tell me that this can't be the same idiot that we went to school with."

"He is," Severus growled in annoyance. "He didn't change one bit."

"No way," Sirius spat. "You mean to tell me that idiot wrote a book? I didn't know he could even read!"

"That makes two of us," Minerva muttered so that only Albus could hear her. He couldn't hide his smile or the twinkle that finally came back to his eyes.

**"Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden —"**

**Harry looked at the cover of Mrs. Weasley's book. Written across it in fancy gold letters were the words Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests. There was a big photograph on the front of a very good-looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. As always in the wizarding world, the photograph was moving; the wizard, who Harry supposed was Gilderoy Lockhart, kept winking cheekily up at them all. Mrs. Weasley beamed down at him.**

"Why were you beaming?" Arthur asked shrewdly.

She didn't answer, instead she just continued a little faster than before.

**"Oh, he is marvelous," she said. "He knows his household pests, all right, it's a wonderful book…"**

"**Mum fancies him," said Fred, in a very audible whisper.**

"Yuck!" Sirius said making gagging noises. "Come on Molly. You could've done better than him."

Her cheeks were turning red and she chose to ignore him.

**"Don't be so ridiculous, Fred," said Mrs. Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. "All right, if you think you know better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."**

**Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with Harry behind them. The garden was large, and in Harry's eyes, exactly what a garden should be. The Dursleys wouldn't have liked it — there were plenty of weeds, and the grass needed cutting — but there were gnarled trees all around the walls, plants Harry had never seen spilling from every flower bed, and a big green pond full of frogs.**

"If the Dursleys would've have hated it, then you know it's good," Tonks laughed.

**"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Harry told Ron they crossed the lawn.**

**"Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods…"**

"Where Muggles got the idea that gnomes look like that, I'll never know," Tonks commented.

**There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush shuddered, and Ron straightened up. "This is a gnome," he said grimly.**

**"Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" squealed the gnome.**

**It was certainly nothing like Santa Claus. It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head exactly like a potato. **

"You know?" Albus said merrily. "These descriptions are so accurate I feel like I was there. I can picture everything so well."

**Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.**

**"This is what you have to do," he said. He raised the gnome above his head ("Gerroff me!") and started to swing it in great circles like a lasso. Seeing the shocked look on Harry's face, Ron added, "It doesn't hurt them —you've just got to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to the gnome holes."**

"And yet, they always do," Molly said shaking her head.

**He let go of the gnome's ankles: It flew twenty feet into the air and landed with a thud in the field over the hedge.**

**"Pitiful," said Fred. "I bet I can get mine beyond that stump."**

**Harry learned quickly not to feel too sorry for the gnomes. He decided just to drop the first one he caught over the hedge, but the gnome, sensing weakness, sank its razor-sharp teeth into Harry's finger and he had a hard job shaking it off — until...**

**"Wow, Harry — that must've been fifty feet…"**

"Awww… he beat my record," Sirius groaned in disappointment. "The furthest I've flown was 47 feet."

**The air was soon thick with flying gnomes.**

**"See, they're not too bright," said George, seizing five or six gnomes at once. "The moment they know the de-gnoming's going on they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd have learned by now just to stay put."**

"Well, what do you expect?" Remus smiled and pointed to his skull. "They don't have much going on upstairs."

**Soon, the crowd of gnomes in the field started walking away in a straggling line, their little shoulders hunched.**

**"They'll be back," said Ron as they watched the gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of the field. "They love it here… Dad's too soft with them; he thinks they're funny…"**

"Well, they are!" Arthur said defensively.

"On what planet?" Remus asked with a chuckle.

**Just then, the front door slammed.**

**"He's back!" said George. "Dad's home!"**

Arthur looked excited that he was finally making an appearance.

**They hurried through the garden and back into the house.**

**Mr. Weasley was slumped in a kitchen chair with his glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn.**

"Yet, another perfect description," Molly said with a lovingly glance at him.

Arthur began to mess with his own hair subconsciously.

**"What a night," he mumbled, groping for the teapot as they all sat down around him. "Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned…"**

"Remind me," Tonks asked. "Why is Dung in the Order."

"Having a thief on your side can be helpful," Albus said calmly.

"Don't care what you say," Mad-Eye grunted. "I'll never trust that coward."

**Mr. Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed.**

**"Find anything, Dad?" said Fred eagerly.**

**"All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting kettle," yawned Mr. Weasley. "There was some pretty nasty stuff that wasn't my department, though. Mortlake was taken away for questioning about some extremely odd ferrets, but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness…"**

"What were wrong with the ferrets?" Sirius asked curiously.

"They had webbed feet and spikes on their backs," he answered with a laugh.

**"Why would anyone bother making door keys shrink?" said George.**

**"Just Muggle-baiting," sighed Mr. Weasley. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it… Of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit their key keeps shrinking — they'll insist they just keep losing it. Bless them, **

They all smiled at Arthur who was blushing.

**they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it's staring them in the face… But the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe —"**

**"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"**

"Nice knowing you Arthur," Tonks said slyly.

"This already happened," he answered her. Though that was one of the longest arguments that the two of them ever had.

**Mrs. Weasley had appeared, holding a long poker like a sword. Mr. Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at his wife.**

_'Scary,' _they all thought, except for Molly.

**"C-cars, Molly, dear?"**

**"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly."**

"How did you get out of this one mate?" Sirius asked him.

He shrugged.

**Mr. Weasley blinked.**

**"Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if — er — he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth… There's a loophole in the law, you'll find… As long as he wasn't intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn't —"**

"Nice, Arthur," Sirius chortled. "I see that you found a loophole in your own law."

"Technically, I wasn't doing anything wrong," he answered with a sideways look at his wife who was giving him a hard look. He smiled back. "And I do spend most of my tinkering just taking them apart to see how they work dear."

She highly doubted this, but instead of answering, she went back to the book.

**"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"**

**"Harry?" said Mr. Weasley blankly. "Harry who?"**

"Harry who, he says," said Remus rolling his eyes. "Just how many other Harry's do you know?"

"I wasn't expecting Harry to show up like that!" Arthur blurted out in his defense.

"Who else was Ron talking about all summer?" Molly reminded him.

**He looked around, saw Harry, and jumped.**

**"Good lord, is it Harry Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about —"**

**"Your sons flew that car to Harry's house and back last night!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"**

"Yeah, what did you have to say about that?" Tonks asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

**"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I — I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that — that was very wrong, boys — very wrong indeed…"**

Everyone burst out in a fresh wave of laughter.

"That does sound like something you would say," Minerva put in.

**"Let's leave them to it," Ron muttered to Harry as Mrs. Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you my bedroom."**

**They slipped out of the kitchen and down a narrow passageway to an uneven staircase, which wound its way, zigzagging up through the house. On the third landing, a door stood ajar. Harry just caught sight of a pair of bright brown eyes staring at him before it closed with a snap.**

**"Ginny," said Ron. "You don't know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally —"**

"Awww, a crush," Remus said smiling gently.

"Just asking," spoke up Tonks. "Are you hoping that the two of them fall for each other?"

Molly blushed again. "No, I'm not. Though it would be wonderful if they did."

Secretly, Arthur and Molly _were_ hoping for it. But if it didn't happen, then that was fine by them as well.

"Well, if they do," Sirius said laughing, "They we'll be related!"

"We already are distantly related!" Arthur chortled. "They're only teenagers anyway. We can worry about the future… in the future."

**They climbed two more flights until they reached a door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, saying RONALD'S ROOM.**

**Harry stepped in, his head almost touching the sloping ceiling, and blinked. It was like walking into a furnace: Nearly everything in Ron's room seemed to be a violent shade of orange: the bedspread, the walls, even the ceiling. Then Harry realized that Ron had covered nearly every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the same seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically.**

"The Chudley Cannons?" Albus repeated.

"Ron, always roots for the underdogs," Molly explained.

"Well, that explains why he's friends with Potter," Snape muttered. They just ignored him.

**"Your Quidditch team?" said Harry.**

**"The Chudley Cannons," said Ron, pointing at the orange bedspread, which was emblazoned with two giant black C's and a speeding cannonball. "Ninth in the league."**

"They're still terrible!" Tonks said in dissatisfaction.

**Ron's school spellbooks were stacked untidily in a corner, next to a pile of comics that all seemed to feature The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle. Ron's magic wand was lying on top of a fish tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to his fat gray rat, Scabbers, who was snoozing in a patch of sun.**

Sirius's eyes narrowed at the mention of the rat.

**Harry stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards on the floor and looked out of the tiny window. In the field far below he could see a gang of gnomes sneaking one by one back through the Weasleys' hedge. Then he turned to look at Ron, who was watching him almost nervously, as though waiting for his opinion.**

**"It's a bit small," said Ron quickly. "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. And I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic; he's always banging on the pipes and groaning…"**

**But Harry, grinning widely, said, "This is the best house I've ever been in."**

The Weasleys beamed in pleasure.

**Ron's ears went pink.**

"Awww," cooed Molly, smiling as she shut the book

"He just can't say anything bad about people can he?" Tonks said happily.

"Well," Remus said, "That has to be the best chapter so far."

"Can't argue with that," Minerva said stretching slightly. "Who's reading next?"

"I can if you want!" Tonks volunteered.

"Knock yourself out," Sirius spoke.

"Yay!" she said as she took the book from Molly. "It feels like forever since I've read." She turned to the next chapter and read out loud and strong, "**Chapter 3: At Flourish and Blotts**."


	6. At Flourish and Blotts

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 4: At Flourish and Blotts**

"Yay!" she said as she took the book from Molly. "It feels like forever since I've read." She turned to the next chapter and read out loud and strong, "**Chapter 3: At Flourish and Blotts**."

"A bookstore?" Sirius said incredulously. "What's happens in a bookstore that's so important that we have to read a chapter about it?"

"Oh, I know what this is about," Arthur said as a smug smile appeared on his face. This was where he slugged Malfoy… something he had been dying to do since he meet the man.

"Well," Tonks said, as she noticed his grin. "If you're smiling like that then it must be good."

Molly just gave her husband a dark look just as Tonks started up again.

**Life at the Burrow was as different as possible from life on Privet Drive. **

"Well," Remus stated firmly, "That does happen when you meet people who actually care about what happens to you."

"This sounds like he had a good rest of the summer," Sirius said sounding hopeful.

**The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys' house burst with the strange and unexpected. Harry got a shock the first time he looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, "Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!" The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal. **

"Yes," Molly said sounding frustrated, "Now I know what they were about. Even back then they were working on Weasley Wizard Wheezes!"

"Molly," Arthur said, "I know that you aren't the biggest supporter of WWW, but think about it, can you really picture Fred and George working in the Ministry?"

"I can't," Remus said with a light laugh. "And besides, do you really want them working in a place that's so corrupted at the moment?"

Molly opened her mouth to try and come up with another reason, but Arthur said. "We can talk about this over lunch dear," he promised.

**What Harry found most unusual about life at Ron's, however, wasn't the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: It was the fact that everybody there seemed to like him.**

They all frowned at that, Molly and Arthur for not believing their sons when they told them about the bars, Tonks out of sadness that Harry had to grow up in such a unloved environment, Remus and Sirius out of guilt for not doing anything, Minerva out of anger at the Dursley's, Severus at the reminder that Potter didn't have as perfect a life as he had imagined him to have, and at last Albus at himself for being the one that put Harry there.

Albus knew that he owed the boy an apology for putting him through all this… but how was he supposed to say how sorry he was without having to explain why he did it and everything else that came with it?

"Of course people like you Harry!" Tonks said exasperated. "Well, everyone except Voldemort of course."

"It's sad that the idea that someone actually caring about you can be so foreign to someone so young," Minerva said glumly.

**Mrs. Weasley fussed over the state of his socks and tried to force him to eat fourth helpings at every meal. Mr. Weasley liked Harry to sit next to him at the dinner table so that he could bombard him with questions about life with Muggles, asking him to explain how things like plugs and the postal service worked.**

That line cheered them all up greatly.

Sirius couldn't help but laugh as most of the others smiled. "Glad to see that you haven't changed much in the last few years, Arthur," he said.

Arthur merely chuckled along with them.

**"Fascinating." he would say as Harry talked him through using a telephone. "Ingenious, really, how many ways Muggles have found of getting along without magic."**

**Harry heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week after he had arrived at the Burrow. He and Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table. The moment she saw Harry, Ginny accidentally knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud clatter. Ginny seemed very prone to knocking things over whenever Harry entered a room. She dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. **

"Awww," Tonks and Molly both cooed while the men laughed.

"You know?" Minerva said lightly, "For someone with supposedly terrible eyesight, he sure can see things very well."

"He's a Seeker," Sirius said proudly. "You should know that better than most since you were the one that made him Seeker in the first place."

**Pretending he hadn't noticed this, Harry sat down and took the toast Mrs. Weasley offered him.**

"Now that's what I call a young gentleman," Molly said kindly before glaring at Sirius and added unkindly, "Unlike some people I could mention."

Sirius just gave her an innocent look that didn't suit him.

**"Letters from school," said Mr. Weasley, passing Harry and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry — doesn't miss a trick, that man.**

"Actually, I have no control to where the owls go," Albus said calmly. "It's a magic quill that does all the writing and the owls are the ones who find them."

"I hope so," Sirius growled. If he ever found out that Dumbledore knew about the catflap and the bars, then… he narrowed his eyes darkly. He would just have to use his imagination to what he was going to do to him.

**You two've got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas.**

**For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. Harry's told him to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first. There was also a list of the new books he'd need for the coming year.**

**_SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:_**

**_The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2by Miranda Goshawk_**

**_Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

"You mean to tell me that Lockhart idiot wrote two books?" Sirius asked in a tone of disbelief.

"No," Severus said rolling his eyes in disgust.

"Thank goodness," Sirius sighed in temporarily relief. "I was beginning to think that there was something wrong with the universe."

"Lockhart wrote several," Minerva said grimly.

"What?" he hollered back. "Just how many of them are there?"

"A lot," Tonks said as she then began to read out the list.

**_Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_43 Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

Everyone was quiet for a moment. And then Sirius said, "That's a lot of Lockhart."

"He wrote almost the whole booklist," Remus said as he leaned over to read the list himself.

"Yes," Minerva said. "Our _teacher_," she said that word as if it was a bad taste in her mouth, "For that year requested them all."

Suddenly remembering what the back of the book said before they started reading, Remus asked Tonks, "Ah, Tonks? Could you please read the back of the book again?"

Confused, Tonks did as he asked—until she reached the part that said, **stuck-up new professor, Gileroy Lockhart.**

Sirius, Remus, Minerva, and Severus all groaned at that. Sirius turned to Dumbledore and demanded, "What possessed you to hire that idiot? He couldn't even tie his shoes on his own when he was at school!"

Albus sighed regretfully, "I had no other choice. He was the only person who applied for the job."

At this, Severus gave him a nasty glare. "I applied for the job."

"Yes," Albus agreed. "But if I let you have the job then I wouldn't have a Potion's teacher. Lockhart was better than no one."

"Speak for yourself," Minerva groaned. "By the end of the first day he arrived to teach I was this close to turning him into a shrew or something and then feeding him to the giant squid!"

"And I do remember suggesting on several occasions on poisoning him…" Severus added helpfully.

"Enough," Albus said, but he was smiling. "I'm not saying that those weren't good ideas, but he is now in St. Mungo's so…"

"St. Mungo's?" Tonks asked as she looked at them. "What happened?"

"You know," Severus said as he leaned back in his chair. "I think I might like hearing about him after all. I can't wait to hear about his—er—little accident."

"What are you all…?" Remus began before he shook his head. "Never mind. I'm sure that the book will tell us everything."

**Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at Harry's.**

**"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan — bet it's a witch."**

"I wish," Minerva grunted.

"It would've been a lot less annoying," Severus agreed.

**At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade.**

**"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive…"**

"He wasn't kidding," Molly and Arthur said sadly as they looked at each other. Suddenly, everyone else in the room felt like they were watching something private. Tonks shifted uncomfortably and decided to go on before the tension in the room got any thicker.

**"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."**

**"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny.**

**She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. **

"Yep," Tonks said knowingly. "Definitely a crush on Harry."

Sirius and Remus both began to chuckle.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if they got together?" Tonks then asked Molly who smiled almost wistfully back. "I think that they would make a cute couple."

"Well, she would be with someone we are sure that we can trust," Molly agreed wholeheartedly.

**Fortunately no one saw this except Harry, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.**

"What? Why was he wearing that during the summer?" demanded Sirius.

"He always did take his responsibilities seriously," Arthur muttered grimly. "Or rather, _too_ seriously."

**"Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day."**

"It was," Sirius grunted to himself. "Till you showed up."

**He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a molting, gray feather duster — at least, that was what Harry thought it was, until he saw that it was breathing.**

"You have a breathing feather duster?" Tonks asked them baffled.

"I don't think that's a feather duster," Remus smiled.

**"Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing. "Finally— he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."**

**He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron lay him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic." **

"Oh, I know some more pathetic pets," Sirius said as he became sour again, causing confusion to most of them.

**Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud:**

**_Dear Ron, and Harry if you're there,_**

**_I hope everything went all right and that Harry is okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble, too. _**

"Well, too late for that," Remus said conversationally.

"Technically," Arthur said determinately, "It wasn't illegal."

"You shouldn't have enchanted that car in the first place!" Molly said crossly.

**_I've been really worried and if Harry is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl because I think another delivery might finish your one off._**

**_I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course'— _**

"ON VACATION?!" Sirius cried out horrified.

"There's this important thing that we call homework, Black," Minerva said sternly as though they were in class and he was trying to give an excuse on why he didn't turn a report in.

"But it's summer!" Sirius said. "You aren't supposed to work during the summer holidays! Why else would they call it a vacation?"

**How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on vacation! **

"My point exactly," Sirius said firmly.

_—**'and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. **_

**_Love from Hermione.'_**

"So this is why you're going to Diagon Alley," Remus stated with another glance at Arthur, "But this doesn't explain what's so important about Flourish and Blotts."

"Why do we even bother to keep asking?" Albus asked suddenly. "Like I told you, the book will be able to explain everything in much better details than we can."

"Good point," Tonks said happily, "But interrupting can be fun! Look at these interesting conversations we're having!"

Sirius snorted. "If nothing else, at least it's giving us something fun to do."

**"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"**

**Harry, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high.**

**They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; **

"_That_ would be a very interesting conversation as well," Sirius laughed.

**instead they threw apples for one another to catch. They took turns riding Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand, which was easily the best broom; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.**

"That's sad," Sirius said in a longing voice. It had been months since he had been flying and just the thought of it was almost painful. But on a brighter note he said, "But Ron did get a new broom this year?"

"Yeah," Molly answered looking a little happier as well. She was glad that she was able to do that much for her youngest son. "A reward for being made into a prefect."

"He loves it," Tonks said, remembering how he had gone on and on about it all through dinner before he went back to school.

**Five minutes later they were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he had said he was busy. **

"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius asked dryly.

"Out of all our kids," Molly said with a shrug, "Percy is the only one who can't stand staying on a broom."

Sirius gasped as he put a hand over his heart as though he was deeply wounded. "How can anyone be like that? Flying is the best feeling in the world!"

"Believe it or not, Black," Severus firmly, "But there are some people who don't like flying."

Before any arguments broke out, Albus motioned for Tonks to keep going.

**Harry had only seen Percy at mealtimes so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time.**

**"Wish I knew what he was up to," said Fred, frowning. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all."**

"I always did wonder what he was up to that summer," Arthur said thoughtfully.

"Did you ever find out?" Minerva asked.

"Nope," he answered offhanded.

**"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing Harry's puzzled look. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame."**

"There's nothing wrong with being Head Boy," Minerva said. She herself had been Head Girl in her day…

"I have to agree," Albus said, knowing the feeling. "I just don't think that these two could stand a job where they would have to sacrifice laughter over seriousness. For that, I admire."

"But they can't act like kids forever," Molly sighed. "I would like it if they proved to me that they could be responsible and mature so that I can trust them. But to this day they continue to act like pranksters."

"They're just trying to lighten up the mood," Sirius said dismissively.

"There is a time and a place for jokes," Molly said irritably.

**Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Harry had never met either of them, but knew that Charlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt working for the wizard's bank, Gringotts.**

**"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything…"**

Arthur looked guilty. Molly merely smiled as she took his hand. "It's not your fault dear," she said fondly. He smiled back, but it was only half-hearted.

**Harry said nothing. He felt a bit awkward. Stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that his parents had left him. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that he had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in Muggle shops. He had never mentioned his Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; he didn't think their horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold.**

"Good, I hope he doesn't tell them," Molly said angrily. "They probably would've taken for themselves."

"'Fraid not," Sirius said grinning. "That money belongs to Harry. There is no way that they could ever get their greedy, fat hands on them."

"Then why doesn't he?" Tonks asked. "That would be great to rub it in their faces! Make them think twice about how they treated Harry."

"I think that it would cause more problems than it would solve," Albus said sadly.

**Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.**

**"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today… Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!"**

**And she offered him the flowerpot.**

**Harry stared at them all watching him.**

"What's wrong?" Remus asked.

"Harry never traveled by the Floo before," Arthur explained thinking back.

"Oh," Remus said, before a bad thought suddenly came to mind. "Why do I get the feeling that it didn't go as well as it could've?"

"That's because it didn't," Arthur said gloomily.

Sirius groaned. "Why am I not surprised by this?"

**"W-what am I supposed to do?" he stammered.**

**"He's never traveled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, Harry, I forgot."**

**"Never?" said Mr. Weasley. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"**

**"I went on the Underground —"**

**"Really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Were there escapators? How exactly —"**

"I think you mean escalators, Arthur," Remus said smiling and Arthur blushed.

"But still…" he said in excitement. "It would be wonder to get a chance to examine them! I think that they would be truly fascinating… Muggles have moving staircases as well! And they don't need magic! Just a few simple devices and they are able to power whole cities! Makes me think that we could learn a lot from them."

"Wisely, put, Arthur," Albus said beaming.

**"Not now, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you've never used it before —"**

**"He'll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Harry, watch us first."**

Arthur and Molly shared a look, knowing that things turned out far from alright.

**He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames.**

**With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.**

**"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Harry as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate…"**

**"The right what?" said Harry nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too.**

"Grate," Tonks said as if it was obvious. "Happened to me once. I was supposed to be going over to a friend's house, and… I ended up coming right out of the fireplace of an old married couple." She smirked. "Boy, did that take some explaining. Good thing that they were more than happy to send me off to the right fireplace."

"I'd love to hear that story," Remus smiled and she felt a slight tint of pink covering her cheeks.

**"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly —"**

**"He'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasley, helping himself to Floo powder too.**

**"But, dear, if he got lost, how would we ever explain to his aunt and uncle?"**

"I don't think they would mind," Sirius said with a bitter taste in his mouth, "I doubt they would even care."

**"They wouldn't mind," Harry reassured her. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney, don't worry about that —"**

"I should've known that something was wrong there," Molly said grimly. "I just thought that he was joking…"

**"Well… all right… you go after Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going."**

**"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised.**

**"And your eyes shut," said Mrs. Weasley. "The soot —"**

**"Don't fidget," said Ron. "Or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace —"**

**"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George."**

"I think all this advice is just making him more nervous," Albus said evenly.

"You think?" Tonks asked sarcastically.

**Trying hard to bear all this in mind, Harry took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire. He took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward; the fire felt like a warm breeze; he opened his mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash.**

**"D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed.**

They were all quiet for a brief moment.

"That can't be good," Sirius said quietly.

"He got lost didn't he?" Remus asked the Weasleys who were looking ashamed.

"It's not your fault," Tonks said, trying to lighten the mood. "Harry just has the terrible luck."

**It felt as though he was being sucked down a giant drain. **

"Yet another perfect description," Molly declared to no one in particular.

**He seemed to be spinning very fast — the roaring in his ears was deafening — he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick —something hard knocked his elbow and he tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning — now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face — squinting through his glasses he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond — his bacon sandwiches were churning inside him — he closed his eyes again wishing it would stop, and then…**

**He fell, face forward, onto cold stone and felt the bridge of his glasses snap.**

"Oh," Arthur said wincing. "Guess I forgot to mention to him to take off his glasses."

"Yeah, something tells me you did," Sirius said as he leaned forward anxiously.

**Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, he got gingerly to his feet, holding his broken glasses up to his eyes. He was quite alone, but where he was, he had no idea. All he could tell was that he was standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop — but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list.**

"Where the heck is he?" Sirius said panicking slightly.

**A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. **

"Please don't tell me he ended up where I think he did," Minerva said shaking her head.

"He's in Bogans and Burkes in Knockturn alley," Sirius spat.

"How on earth do you know that?" Arthur asked in surprise. Sirius just gestured to their surroundings and said bitterly. "It was my dear old mother's favorite shop. Does that surprise you?"

They were quiet for another minute before Arthur said, "No offense Sirius… but I hate your mother."

"None taken," Sirius said oddly cheerful. "I always hated her too."

**Even worse, the dark, narrow street Harry could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley.**

"He needs to get out of there quickly," Sirius said worriedly. "Knockturn Alley isn't a nice place to be… especially for the Boy-Who-Lived."

"What I want to know is how he ended up there in the first place," Severus said. "Diagon Alley doesn't sound a bit like Knockturn Alley."

"The Floo Network is a nightmare," Arthur said simply.

**The sooner he got out of here, the better. Nose still stinging where it had hit the hearth, Harry made his way swiftly and silently toward the door, but before he'd got halfway toward it, two people appeared on the other side of the glass — and one of them was the very last person Harry wanted to meet when he was lost, covered in soot, and wearing broken glasses: Draco Malfoy.**

"Of all the possible people to run into!" Tonks cried. "Harry really does have the worst luck doesn't he?"

"You have no idea," Arthur muttered under his breath.

**Harry looked quickly around and spotted a large black cabinet to his left; he shot inside it and pulled the doors closed, leaving a small crack to peer through. **

**Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Malfoy stepped into the shop.**

**The man who followed could only be Draco's father. **

"It gets even worse!" Sirius yelled. "Lucius Malfoy?!"

"Quiet!" Arthur said as he leaned forward to listen. "I want to hear this!"

Molly rolled her eyes, knowing that he dying to have a chance to catch Malfoy doing something illegal.

**He had the same pale, pointed face and identical cold, gray eyes. Mr. Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily at the items on display, and rang a bell on the counter before turning to his son and saying, "Touch nothing, Draco."**

**Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."**

"To bad that the world doesn't revolve around your head, Draco," Sirius hissed as he and Tonks looked at each other. He couldn't believe that the two of them were actually related to a spoiled brat like this.

**"I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming his fingers on the counter.**

**"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor. He's not even that good, it's just because he's famous… famous for having a stupid scar on his forehead…"**

"Trust me, despite what some may believe," Remus said with a quick glance at Severus. "Harry never asked to be famous or to have that scar."

**Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls.**

**"… everyone thinks he's so smart, wonderful Potter with his scar and his broomstick —"**

"Oh, looks like someone's a little jealous," Tonks sang slyly.

"As he should be," Sirius said beaming with pride every time they mention that Harry was the youngest player in a century.

"Just another excuse to be arrogant," Severus hissed, but he was lacking the usual distaste that he always reserved just for Potter.

"Can't you give him a break for once?" Sirius demanded, remembering why he hated Snape so much. Severus just turned away and refused to answer.

**"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr. Malfoy, with a quelling look at his son. "And I would remind you that it is not — prudent — to appear less than fond of Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard him as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear — ah, Mr. Borgin."**

"In other words," Sirius muttered under his breath, "Son… suck up."

**A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face.**

**"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr. Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair. **

"Well," Tonks stated, "I can see that he's clearly a regular in that dump."

"But of course he is," Arthur said. Itching to know more, desperate for any kind of information that could give him the chance to make Malfoy pay for what he did to his family.

**"Delighted — and young Master Malfoy, too — charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced —"**

**"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling," said Mr. Malfoy.**

**"Selling?" The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin's face.**

"Of course it did," Sirius said coldly. "It wouldn't look good if he was found with any dark items before his house is raided."

"So," Remus said, "He's asking for Borgin to hold onto them until he thinks it's safe and then buy them back."

**"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it for Mr. Borgin to read. "I have a few — ah — items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call…"**

"I highly doubt he has just a few," Sirius spat. "Knowing them, there isn't a room that isn't filled with dark items in their manor."

**Mr. Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list.**

**"The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"**

"Of course not," Arthur growled, "Because he pays them a lot of gold to leave him alone."

**Mr. Malfoy's lip curled.**

**"I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act — no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it —"**

"Why that rotten…" Molly went on calling Lucius every word under the sun while everyone glared at the book in angry.

Arthur's hands curled up into fists and he seemed to be restraining himself from doing something stupid.

**Harry felt a hot surge of anger.**

**"— and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it appear —"**

"That he's planning on poisoning someone?" Sirius added helpfully.

Severus shrugged. "Wouldn't surprise me," he said coolly.

**"I understand, sir, of course," said Mr. Borgin. "Let me see…"**

**"Can I have that?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.**

**"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."**

"Lucius won't like hearing that," Albus declared. And sure enough…

**"I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," said Mr. Malfoy coldly, and Mr. Borgin said quickly, "No offense, sir, no offense meant —"**

"Oh, I think that's a pretty good prediction for the kid's future," Sirius disagreed.

**"Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for —"**

"Oh," Sirius said in mild surprise. "Even his own father thinks so! Tut, tut Draco."

**"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favorites, that Hermione Granger —"**

"Is Miss Granger responsible for his homework?" Minerva said furiously. "And is it our fault that he only does half of his work? You need to work hard if you want better grades! Money can't buy you everything!"

"Well, said," Remus agreed fully.

**"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.**

**"Ha!" said Harry under his breath, pleased to see Draco looking both abashed and angry.**

"You aren't the only one please to hear that, Harry," Sirius said grinning broadly.

**"It's the same all over," said Mr. Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere —"**

**"Not with me," said Mr. Malfoy, his long nostrils flaring.**

**"No, sir, nor with me, sir," said Mr. Borgin, with a deep bow.**

"It's because of stupid ideas like this that caused this damn war in the first place!" Sirius yelled angrily. "What is wrong with people?"

"Good question," Tonks said dully.

**"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr. Malfoy shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today —"**

**They started to haggle. Harry watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to his hiding place, examining the objects for sale. Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent necklace of opals, _Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed — Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date._**

"Oh, yes," Sirius said sarcastically. "Funny… really funny! Something that's killed nineteen innocent Muggles!"

**Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him. He walked forward — he stretched out his hand for the handle... "Done," said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. "Come, Draco —"**

They all released a breath of relief that none of them realized that they were holding.

**Harry wiped his forehead on his sleeve as Draco turned away.**

**"Good day to you, Mr. Borgin. I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods."**

**The moment the door had closed, Mr. Borgin dropped his oily manner.**

"Of course he did," Severus stated. He was like that for all of his customers. He never did like the man and his shady dealing in the first place.

**"Good day yourself, Mister Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your manor…" Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back room. Harry waited for a minute in case he came back, then, quietly as he could, slipped out of the cabinet, past the glass cases, and out of the shop door.**

"At least he's out of that horrible shop!" Molly said, though she was still worried about him finding his way back to Diagon Alley.

"But now he's on the street," Sirius told her as his own worry began to overpower him. "I know he can take care of himself, but he was only twelve and he didn't know how to defend himself back then did he?"

**Clutching his broken glasses to his face, Harry stared around. He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one he'd just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders. **

"Definitely not the best place to take your kids to," Tonks stated.

"Unless you're a Malfoy," Sirius sulkily said.

**Two shabby-looking wizards were watching him from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. **

"They better not have been planning on doing anything," he threatened. He had an urge to hunt down these two and rip their heads off.

**Feeling jumpy, Harry set off, trying to hold his glasses on straight and hoping against hope he'd be able to find a way out of here.**

"He does get out of their soon, right?" Albus asked in concern, not liking the idea of Harry being in a place like that.

"Yes," Arthur assured them all. "A friend finds him."

"Who—" Sirius began but they just kept going.

**An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as Harry had never heard of such a place. He supposed he hadn't spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys' fire. Trying to stay calm, he wondered what to do.**

"Good, just stay calm and you're sure to figure it out," Remus said approvingly.

**"Not lost are you, my dear?" said a voice in his ear, making him jump.**

**An aged witch stood in front of him, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. She leered at him, showing mossy teeth. Harry backed away.**

"I don't blame him," said Minerva as her nose wrinkled in revulsion.

**"I'm fine, thanks," he said. "I'm just —"**

**"HARRY! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?"**

"Is that who I think it is?" Remus asked with a slight laugh.

"It was Hagrid," Molly said in relief. "He'll be fine now."

"But what was Hagrid doing in Knockturn alley?" Tonks asked.

"Who cares?" Sirius cut her off. "As long as he gets Harry out of there."

**Harry's heart leapt. So did the witch; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts' gamekeeper, came striding toward them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard.**

**"Hagrid!" Harry croaked in relief. "I was lost — Floo powder —"**

**Hagrid seized Harry by the scruff of the neck and pulled him away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands. **

"Hagrid always did have the gentle touch didn't he?" Severus said with heavy sarcasm.

**Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight. Harry saw a familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance — Gringotts Bank. Hagrid had steered him right into Diagon Alley.**

**"Yer a mess!" said Hagrid gruffly; brushing soot off Harry so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. **

**"Skulkin' around Knockturn Alley, I dunno... dodgy place, Harry — don' want no one ter see yeh down there —"**

"You're not the only one," Albus muttered under his breath. That place is far too dangerous for kids, especially for Harry.

**"I realized that," said Harry, ducking as Hagrid made to brush him off again. "I told you, I was lost — what were you doing down there, anyway?"**

**"I was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"**

"That's it?" Tonks said sounding disappointed. "Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent?"

"What were you expecting?" Minerva asked suspiciously.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I just wasn't expecting something so… boring."

**"I'm staying with the Weasleys but we got separated," Harry explained. "I've got to go and find them…"**

**They set off together down the street.**

**"How come yeh never wrote back ter me?" said Hagrid as Harry jogged alongside him (he had to take three steps to every stride of Hagrid's enormous boots). Harry explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys.**

**"Lousy Muggles," growled Hagrid. "If I'd've known —"**

"Oh, I wish he turned up and knocked down the door again," Sirius said wistfully. And then he started making very violent hand movements and said, "And then turned them into slugs and used some that repellent on them… and let them slowly die a painful…"

"I think we get it, Sirius," Minerva said soothingly.

**"Harry! Harry! Over here!"**

**Harry looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her.**

"Hermione!" Tonks said happily. She never had any brothers or sisters, and even though she only met them last summer, she had grown to love that girl as if she was her own little sister.

**"What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid — Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again — Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?"**

**"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said Harry.**

**"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.**

**Harry and Hermione looked around: Sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.**

**"Harry," Mr. Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far…" He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic — she's coming now —"**

"I can only imagine what was going through your head when you found out that he was lost," Remus said to her.

"He could've been anywhere!" Molly told them. "I had no idea where he was or if he was safe! Of course you can only imagine how worried I was!"

**"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.**

**"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.**

**"Excellent!" said Fred and George together.**

"NO, IT IS NOT!" Molly yelled, making everyone jump.

**"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.**

"I should hope not!" she went on sternly. "It's no place for children!"

"Molly, dear?" Arthur said slowly. "You do remember that this happened about three years ago don't you?"

She stopped speaking before she turned a slight pink. "This book is just so well-detailed, that it's easy to become lost in it."

**"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid. Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other.**

**"Oh, Harry — oh, my dear — you could have been anywhere —"**

**Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. Mr. Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand, and returned them, good as new.**

Sirius sighed. Half glad and half guilty that he wasn't the one who was taking care of Harry in those days.

**"Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found him, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.**

**"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father."**

**"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.**

**"No, he was selling —"**

"Bet that made your day, Arthur," Sirius teased and Arthur just shrugged. While he did love hearing about how worried that Malfoy was, he enjoyed giving him a black eye even more.

**"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"**

"I think we're all rooting for you on that one, Arthur," said Sirius grinning.

**"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew —"**

**"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, **

"Did you really think that I couldn't stand a chance against Malfoy?" he asked his wife who blushed.

"I know that in a fair duel you can take him," she said confidently. "But you know as well as I do that Malfoy would never fight fair."

Arthur nodded to himself. Besides, now that he thought of it, Lucius probably would've just paid someone to fight for him. he always did after all.

**but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them.**

**"But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand.**

All of them laughed at Arthur's antics, even himself.

**"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys and Harry were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin.**

**The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. **

**Harry enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys' vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than he had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. **

Arthur was looking miserable.

"Don't worry, dear. We've always managed before now," Molly said lovingly.

"I can't help but worry. I'm sorry, Molly," he sighed. "I'm supposed to support the family, earn the living, but it seems like we just barely get by… maybe Percy was right. Maybe I'm the reason why we never have enough money."

Molly glared at him as she forced him to look her in the eyes. "I don't ever want to hear you say that again," she said fiercely. "We can all be living in an old cardboard box for all I care as long as my family is happy. And until You-Know-Who… V-Volde-Voldemort came back, we were. So if I hear you say anything like that again I swear I'll make you regret it."

It was the first time that she ever said Voldemort's name. Everybody else stared at her. "What?" she demanded. "You said that I had to get used to the name. And now that I finally said it… I see that it's not hard at all. Besides," she said as she turned back to her husband, "If a bunch of kids can say it then we really shouldn't be afraid to do so as well. We're supposed to be protecting them, but they seem to be the ones protecting us! What kind of parents and role models are we?"

They all stared at her, some impressed, most of them proud. Arthur just continued to stare at her as this was the first time he ever saw her before he smiled. He put his head down and whispered for her alone, "Thank you."

Molly smiled serenely before she snapped at Tonks, "What are you waiting for? Keep reading!"

Tonks blinked, temporary forgetting what she was talking about until she gasped, "Oh!"

**Harry felt even worse when they reached his vault. He tried to block the contents from view as he hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag.**

**Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.**

**"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.**

"Did they listen?" Minerva asked her shrewdly.

"They better have!" was all she could say.

"Oh, I know they did," Dumbledore said. "They may break a rule now and again, but they know the difference between right and wrong."

"Break a rule now and again!?" Severus cried. "They must've broken every school rule on a daily basis!"

"I have to agree with that," Minerva said before turning to Remus and Sirius, "They have to be as bad as when you were at school."

Sirius pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes. "I'm so proud of them."

Tonks knew that this was probably a good time to continue reading before the good mood turned sour.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. The bag of gold, silver, and bronze jangling cheerfully in Harry's pocket was clamoring to be spent, so he bought three large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams, which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. **

"Strawberry and peanut butter?" Sirius said. "That reminds me, when do we have lunch?"

"You can all have lunch at the end of the next chapter," Albus said. "The three of us must return to the castle soon just to check on everything."

"Yes," Minerva agreed. "I don't like that toad in charge with all of us gone at the same time. But most of the students will be outside or working on their homework, so we shouldn't have to worry about anything happening on a Sunday."

"The three of us will go at the end of the next chapter," Dumbledore said and the other two nodded. "We'll be gone for just a couple of hours and we should be back sometime later today."

They all agreed.

"Think we can finish this book today?" Tonks asked them.

"Maybe," Dumbledore said. "I wouldn't be too hopeful. I myself am very interested to hear what happens near the ending."

"Why?" Sirius asked suspiciously. "What happens near the end?"

"I'm sure you'll find out for yourself," but this time it was Molly who said it. She was afraid to hear what happened the night that Ginny was taken into the Chamber… to hear exactly just how close it was to her losing her daughter… it scared her to the core.

**Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door. In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they met Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny junk shop full of broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called Prefects Who Gained Power.**

**"A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers," Ron read aloud off the back cover. "That sounds fascinating…"**

"Must be a best seller," Sirius said causally and several others snorted.

"**Go away," Percy snapped.**

"'**Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out… He wants to be Minister of Magic…" Ron told Harry and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it.**

_'Yeah and he turns his back on his family to try and get there_,' Sirius thought to himself. He didn't dare say it out loud though, the Weasleys seemed upset enough.

**An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. **

"Oh," Tonks said, "So this must be where something happens."

"Yeah," Arthur snarled, realizing that this must be where all this trouble starts. During the fight—which felt so good—Malfoy must've given Ginny the diary that almost ended up killing her.

**They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:**

**_GILDEROY LOCKHART_**

"Ugh, I was hoping that we wouldn't have to hear about him until we got to school," Sirius groaned.

**_will be signing copies of his autobiography_**

**_MAGICAL ME_**

**_today 12:30P. 4:30P.M._**

**"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"**

Sirius stared at the book, "Don't tell me that anyone actually had a crush on that prat!"

"I thought that she was supposed to be the smart one out of the three of them," Severus said silkily.

Minerva just stared at them. "Did you both actually agree on something?"

They both blinked before sharing a horrified expression. "No," they both said at once. Dumbledore on the other hand was looking delighted. Maybe there was still a chance that they could lay aside old grudges and move on.

**The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies… Don't push, there… mind the books, now…"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.**

**"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute…"**

They all looked at Molly who blushed and turned away.

**Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.**

"You were right," Remus said in disgust. "Sounds like he hasn't changed a bit since school."

**A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.**

"I don't blame him," Sirius said shaking his head. "I'd be irritable too if I had to take pictures of him all day."

**"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet —"**

**"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.**

**Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron — and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?"**

Of course that git would pick out the one person who didn't want to draw attention.

"So Potter really can't walk into a bookstore with making the front page," Severus stated.

Sirius jumped to Harry's defense, "Did he say he wanted it? No! You leave him alone, he didn't ask for any of this!"

Severus sighed before he retorted harshly, "I never said he did. I'm just saying that it's a fact."

Albus beamed at that before thinking, _'Yes, it looks like there truly might be hope after all.'_

**The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry's arm, and pulled him to the front. The crowd burst into applause. Harry's face burned as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.**

**"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."**

"You know, that smile always did get on my nerves at school," Sirius said.

"He's just using Harry to try and boost his own publicity!" Tonks said indigently.

"Harry is worth the front page on his own, he doesn't need Lockhartthere," Minerva said.

"The only thing that idiot had going for him was a pretty boy face," Sirius finished up. "I don't get it, if he wanted to be famous so badly why didn't he start a boy band? He already had the look!"

That caused everyone to roar with laughter, even Snape couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Lockhart on stage.

"To bad he couldn't carry a note to save his life," Remus chortled.

**When he finally let go of Harry's hand, Harry could hardly feel his fingers. He tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulders and clamped him tightly to his side.**

"Oh, just let him go!" Arthur said getting annoyed. "Anyone could tell that he didn't want to be there."

**"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!**

The three teachers groaned, which let the others know what this _'announcement'_ was going to be.

**"When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography — which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge —" The crowd applauded again. **

**"He had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving Harry a little shake that made his glasses slip to the end of his nose, "that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"**

"Why?" Severus groaned at the headmaster. "No one but his little fan club of girls could stand him at school! How could you bring him in to teach kids?"

"What did he teach them anyway?" Sirius cried. "How to whiten your teeth?"

**The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry found himself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, he managed to make his way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.**

**"You have these," Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own —"**

"That was nice of him," Tonks said.

"Did you both mind that?" Remus asked them, remembering how felt about charity.

"No," Molly said sighing. "They were free. And Harry hates getting anything because of his fame. Besides, I didn't know that he gave them to her until Harry had already bought his own set."

"You know," Sirius said sourly. "I bet that's the real reason he took the job. He did it to get people to buy his stupid books. If he was the teacher then of course he would put all of them on the list. I bet he made a fortune, from all the Hogwarts students!"

"Wouldn't surprise me if he did," Minerva said cynically.

**"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing. He straightened up and found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.**

**"Famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."**

"Jealous much?" Tonks asked sourly.

"Why can't that little ferret just leave him alone?!" Sirius cried annoyed.

**"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy.**

"You tell him, Ginny," Tonks said eagerly.

"That's my girl!" Molly said proudly.

**"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books.**

**"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"**

**"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."**

Molly and Arthur started glaring at the book again.

"He's so rich, you think that he could get some new material," Sirius whispered that only Remus could hear him. "He uses the same insults every time."

**Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.**

**"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."**

**"Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley."**

**It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.**

"Of course he is," Arthur hissed with narrow eyes. "He's as rotten to the core as his son is."

No one bothered to disagree with him.

**"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.**

**"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids… I hope they're paying you overtime?"**

**He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.**

The ones who knew what happened during that year all stiffened. This must be where he slipped the diary into Ginny's position. And then the whole nightmare began.

**"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"**

"Disgrace to the name of—why if I could only get my hands around his throat!" Sirius yelled before he looked to them and said, "I hope you get him someday!"

**Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.**

**"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.**

**"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley… and I thought your family could sink no lower."**

**There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf. **

There was a short pause while Tonks read that line. And then…

"BRILLIANT!" Sirius roared. He clapped Arthur on the back. "You gave it to them good!"

"It's not something you should be proud of!" Molly stated. "A fine example to set for the children!"

"Kids don't need parents telling them not to fight," Sirius said happily. "They would do it anyway!"

**Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please — please!" cried the assistant, and then, louder than all —**

**"Break it up, there, gents, break it up —"**

"Ah," Sirius said disappointed. "It's over already?"

**Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of Toadstools. **

"Hope it gave him a black eye," Sirius said while rubbing his hands together like a little kid at Christmas.

"Malfoy can't even punch right," Tonks said shaking her head.

**He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.**

**"Here, girl — take your book — it's the best your father can give you —" Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.**

**"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. **

"How could he?" Tonks demanded. "Malfoy was insulting his family, and the Grangers!"

But Arthur and Molly were both glaring with fury at the book, realizing that the damn item that Ginny now had was what almost ended up taking her life.

**"Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that — no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter — bad blood, that's what it is — come on now — let's get outta here."**

"The whole Malfoy line is rotten to the core," Sirius agreed fiercely.

**The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.**

**"A fine example to set for your children… brawling in public… what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought —"**

"I don't think he minded," Remus commented. "Probably enjoyed it if it gave him more publicity."

**"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report — said it was all publicity —"**

"Of course he did," Minerva snorted. "He would bring it all back to himself."

"I can't believe he could be so thick," Tonks said.

"Oh, that's nothing," Dumbledore sighed. "Wait until you read about him in school."

**But it was a subdued group that headed back to the fireside in the Leaky Cauldron, where Harry, the Weasleys, and all their shopping would be traveling back to the Burrow using Floo powder. They said good-bye to the Grangers, who were leaving the pub for the Muggle street on the other side; Mr. Weasley started to ask them how bus stops worked, but stopped quickly at the look on Mrs. Weasley's face.**

**Harry took off his glasses and put them safely in his pocket before helping himself to Floo powder. It definitely wasn't his favorite way to travel.**

"Me neither," Tonks muttered to no one in particular as she closed the book. "That's the end of the chapter," she told them as she held the book above her head, "Any volunteers?"

"May I?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully, "We have to leave for a little while after this chapter."

"Why would you want to leave when it's getting good?" called a gruff and hoarse voice from downstairs.

"Is that you Mad-Eye?" Tonks called out excited.

_Clunk, clunk…_

Yep that was Mad-Eye Moody.

A few minutes later, old Mad-Eye came limping into the room. His eyes swirled around to look at them all to see who was there and asked, "Did I miss anything?"

"Ah, nothing that you would find to interesting," Tonks said smiling. "Just a nutty house-elf, a flying car, and an ego-manic new teacher."

It took about 5 minutes to fill Mad-Eye in on what just happened.

"So you went and attacked Malfoy," Moody asked Arthur. "I'm not saying that it isn't a good idea, but you really should learn to control your temper."

"You're kinda the last person to be talking about controlling you temper," Tonks said with a smile. "We were just about to star chapter 5… you want to read?"

"What do you think?" Moody said annoyed as he limped around to the side of the chair and waited for someone to go on.

"I take that as a no," Dumbledore said optimistically. He opened the book, quickly finding where Tonks left off and read out, "Now let's see… **Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow**."

**(Wow, Molly finally got the guts to say Voldemort's name. Wonder how they'll take to flying the car all the way to school. Please read and review… and thank you…)**


	7. The Whomping Willow

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow**

"I take that as a no," Dumbledore said optimistically. He opened the book, quickly finding where Tonks left off and read out, "Now let's see… **Chapter 5: The Whomping Willow**."

"The Whomping Willow?" Remus repeated slowly. "That's the title of chapter five?"

"Yes," Albus said coolly.

"Something tells me that I won't like this," Remus stated grimly.

"No," Molly agreed. "I don't think I'll like it either."

"What's Potter doing near that tree anyway?" Moody asked interested.

"Something stupid and dangerous of course," Severus responded unperturbed.

**The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for Harry's liking.**

"It always does just when you're having a good time," Tonks said knowingly.

**He was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at the Burrow had been the happiest of his life. It was difficult not to feel jealous of Ron when he thought of the Dursleys and the sort of welcome he could expect next time he turned up on Privet Drive.**

The mood darkened and everyone scowled at those words. They were shaking their heads and muttering what they'd like to do to those people who could actually imprison a child in his own room.

"I'm guessing that living with the Dursleys wouldn't exactly be tough to top would it?" Sirius said, trying to lighting the mood. It worked, but just barely.

**On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Harry's favorite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. **

**Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. **

"What?" Minerva asked her surprised. "You didn't mind at all?"

Molly shrugged. "A little excitement now and again is good for you. Besides, it wasn't as if they were pulling pranks or hurting anyone. They just wanted to end the summer with a bang."

"They always do," Arthur said with a nod, though he wasn't just talking about this incident.

**Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.**

**It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car.**

"It's always like that," Molly sighed to herself. "I keep telling them to have everything ready and packed so we can leave right away. But for some reason we're always running around looking for things in the morning."

"Yeah," Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Arthur, and Mad-Eye all said at the same time, remembering the frenzy over the summer.

**Harry couldn't see how eight people, six large trunks, two owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. He had reckoned, of course, without the special features that Mr. Weasley had added.**

Everybody chuckled and Arthur flushed at the narrow eyes of his wife.

"What sort of special features are we talking about?" she demanded in a dangerous tone.

"Well… you see Molly dear," he said with a high laugh, but Albus had just read out the next line before he was able to think of a good excuse.

**"Not a word to Molly," he whispered to Harry as he opened the trunk and showed him how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fitted easily.**

"Arthur," Molly said coldly.

"Now dear," he began as the others laughed at the couple.

"Molly?" Albus interfered. "If he didn't do it then there was no way that you could've fit everyone and their luggage into one car. Besides, you no longer have the car so really, there's no harm done."

"Really?" Sirius said in disappointment. "Darn, I was hoping to take it out and fly it. What happened to it?"

"I'm sure that you're going to find out in this chapter," Molly said. But she gave her husband another glare before mouthing, "We'll talk later."

Arthur nodded, quickly trying to think of an excuse.

**When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat, where Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles do know more than we give them credit for, don't they?" She and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"**

Molly just pretended that she didn't hear that part as everyone chuckled.

**Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, Harry turning back for a last look at the house. He barely had time to wonder when he'd see it again when they were back. George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks. Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick. They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary. **

The parents frowned at the mention of the diary. Molly, forgetting why she was upset with Arthur for a second, thought to herself, _'Why couldn't she just leave the damned thing?'_

Tears began to form in her eyes. It was because of that stupid little book that Ginny was almost killed.

**By the time she clambered back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were running high. **

**Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his wife. **

**"Molly, dear-"**

**"_No_, Arthur-"**

"It would've been a lot faster," Arthur suggested. "And maybe we could've avoided this whole mess."

"I still say no," she said firmly, refusing to accept that idea of what might've happened if they had done it his way.

**"No one would see- this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed-that'd get us up in the air-then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any the wiser-"**

"That's impressive," Minerva said almost against her will. "I can't say that I approve of you using it in the middle of the day though."

"Well, we didn't," Arthur admitted.

**"I said _no_, Arthur, not in broad daylight-"**

"But if you all are running late, shouldn't you at least give it a try?" asked Sirius shrewdly.

"Oh, no," Molly said firmly. "You don't think things through do you, Sirius? What if we were seen?"

"But what about the Invisibility Booster he was talking about?" Sirius inquired.

"What if it was faulty? What if we crashed? Any number of things could've happened to us," Molly said firmly, ending the argument.

**They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station. **

**Harry had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three-quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing. **

**"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier. **

**Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed. **

**"I'll take Ginny and you two come right after us," Mrs. Weasley told Harry and Ron, grabbing Ginny's hand and setting off. In the blink of an eye they were gone. **

"I should have made them go first," Molly sighed.

Sirius, Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Remus looked at her in confusion.

"Why?" Tonks asked confused, but Molly just shook her head, unwilling to answer.

**"Let's go together, we've only got a minute," Ron said to Harry. **

**Harry made sure that Hedwig's cage was safely wedged on top of his trunk and wheeled his trolley around to face the barrier. He felt perfectly confident; this wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as using Floo powder. Both of them bent low over the handles of their trolleys and walked purposefully toward the barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, they broke into a run and-**

**CRASH.**

"Oh," said Tonks, that's why.

"What happened?" Remus asked worriedly.

"They crashed," Severus confirmed simply.

"How's that possible?" Moody asked raising his eyebrows. "The barrier doesn't seal until after the train leaves and everyone exits the platform."

"Yes," Albus told them all, "But I'm afraid we won't get any answers unless we continue reading."

"I can't help myself!" Sirius stated.

"There's a surprise," Severus said.

Sirius shot him a dark look, but didn't say anything.

**Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backward; Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump, Harry was knocked off his feet, and Hedwig's cage bounced onto the shiny floor, and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly; people all around them stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"**

**"Lost control of the trolley," Harry gasped, clutching his ribs as he got up. **

"Not a bad excuse," Moody said. "They are kids after all… easier for Muggles to believe that."

**Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who was causing such a scene that there was a lot of muttering about cruelty to animals from the surrounding crowd. **

**"Why can't we get through?" Harry hissed to Ron.**

"Good question," Sirius agreed darkly.

**"I dunno-"**

**Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were still watching them. **

"I hope they got out of there before the Muggles started suspecting something," Remus said nervously.

"I think it's a little late for that," Moody said causally, thinking of the owl.

**"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered.**

"Now this is a first—kids desperate to go to school? Are we sure that this isn't just a fantasy book?" Sirius smirked.

"Oh, please Sirius," Minerva said rolling her eyes. "Don't talk nonsense. That's like saying all of us are just fictional characters in a novel."

**"I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself-"**

**Harry looked up at the giant clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. Ten seconds…nine seconds…**

"Even if they get through it now," Tonks said biting her lower lip, "They'll never make it onto the train."

**He wheeled his trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all his might. The metal remained solid. **

**Three seconds…two seconds…one second…**

"Too late," Moody said leaning back comfortably.

**"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us? Have you get any Muggle money?"**

**Harry gave a hollow laugh. "The Dursleys haven't given me pocket money for about six years." **

"You mean to tell me that they actually did give him money at one time?" Sirius said in a stunned voice.

"Probably not much though," Tonks said grimly.

**Ron pressed his ear to the cold barrier.**

**"Can't hear a thing," he said tensely. "What're we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mom and Dad to get back to us." **

"You didn't notice they weren't there?" Tonks asked Molly and Arthur who lowered their heads.

"We were in such a rush," Arthur said slowly. The boys were already on the train by the time that Molly and Ginny got on. We had no idea they weren't there until he got out and…"

"And…?" Sirius asked slowly.

_'And we saw that car was gone,' _Arthur thought to himself.

**They looked around. People were still watching them, mainly because of Hedwig's continuing screeches. **

**"I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said Harry. "We're attracting too much atten-"**

**"Harry!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"**

"So it was Ron's brilliant idea, then," muttered Molly before glaring at Arthur. "He gets it from your side of the family!"

"What was Ron's idea?" Tonks asked though she already suspected what it was when a great big smile spread across Sirius's face.

**"What about it?"**

**"We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"**

"You have got to be kidding me!" Remus cried, not knowing whether to laugh or not.

**"But I thought-"**

**"We're stuck, right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy-"**

"This really doesn't count as an emergency," Minerva cried. "They had an owl with them! They could've sent a message and we could've had a temporary Floo network set up to get them there!"

"But that doesn't sound half as much fun," Moody muttered to himself.

**"But your Mum and Dad…" said Harry, pushing against the barrier again in the vain hope that it would give way. "How will they get home?"**

**"They don't need the car!" said Ron impatiently. "They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we're all underage and we're not allowed to Apparate yet…." **

**Harry's feeling of panic turned suddenly to excitement. **

Remus groaned. "Of course he would."

**"Can you fly it?"**

**"No problem," said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit. **

"And how would he know how to fly it?" Molly asked Arthur darkly.

He shrugged. "I honestly don't know Molly."

**"C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express-"**

**And they marched off through the crowd of curious Muggles, out of the station and back onto the side road where the old Ford Anglia was parked. **

**Ron unlocked the cavernous trunk with a series of taps from his wand. They heaved their luggage back in, put Hedwig on the back seat, and got into the front. **

**"Check that no one's watching," said Ron, starting the ignition with another tap of his wand. Harry stuck his head out of the window: Traffic was rumbling alone the main road ahead, but their street was empty. **

"Ronald Weasley! Just what was going through your head when you came up with that idea?!" Molly said angrily. "Stealing the car and flying it all the way to school?"

"If they pull this off, that is certainly something to be proud of," Sirius whispered to Remus who smirked.

**"Okay," he said. **

**Ron pressed a tine silver button on the dashboard. The car around them vanished- and so did they. Harry could feel the seat vibrating beneath him, hear the engine, feel his hands on his knees and his glasses on his nose, but for all he could see, he had become a pair of eyeballs, floating about the ground in a dingy street full of parked cars. **

"I'm sure your eyeballs disappear with you when you become invisible," explained Tonks.

"What's with all the eyeball references?" Moody asked thoughtfully. "Last book it was music… and now eyes?"

**"Let's go," said Ron's voice from his right. **

**And the ground and the dirty buildings on either side fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering, below them.**

**Then there was a popping noise and the car, Harry, and Ron reappeared.**

"That's not supposed to happen," Sirius said finally starting to get worried.

"Ya think?" Tonks asked sarcastically.

**"Uh-oh," said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty-"**

"You see?" Molly asked Arthur. "What if that happened to us if we took the car to the station?"

**Both of them pummeled it. The car vanished. **

**Then it flickered back again. **

**"Hold on!" Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot straight into the low, woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy. **

**"Now what?" said Harry, blinking at the solid mass of cloud pressing in on them from all sides. **

"Forget the stupid idea—" Molly begged though she knew that it was pointless. "Go back to the station and wait for us!"

**"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," said Ron.**

**"Dip back down again — quickly —"**

"That won't work," Severus stated.

"Why?" Sirius insisted. "You mean to tell me that they were seen?"

"You know something…?" Remus said slowly, "I remember reading about a flying car being spotted by Muggles in the Prophet a few years ago."

"You don't think…?" Sirius began with dread.

"Yes," Minerva said grimly. "That was them."

"You have to hand it to them though," Severus commented resentfully. "Potter and Weasley sure knew how to make an entrance."

"Now what are you talking about…?" Sirius began, but then it clicked. The title of this chapter was _The Whomping Willow_…

"Don't tell me," he said slowly before glancing at Dumbledore, who went on.

**They dropped back beneath the clouds and twisted around in their seats, squinting at the ground.**

**"I can see it!" Harry yelled. "Right ahead — there!"**

**The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake.**

_'A snake?'_ thought Albus as he paused for a brief second. _'A bit foreboding…'_

**"Due north," said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. "Okay, we'll just have to check on it every half hour or so — hold on —"**

**And they shot up through the clouds. A minute later, they burst out into a blaze of sunlight.**

**It was a different world. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun.**

Sirius groaned. It sounded wonderful!

**"All we've got to worry about now are airplanes," said Ron.**

**They looked at each other and started to laugh; for a long time, they couldn't stop.**

"I know the feeling," Sirius whispered as he shared a blissful look with Remus. They both felt the exact same way every time they successfully pulled a stunt and prank off.

**It was as though they had been plunged into a fabulous dream. This, thought Harry, was surely the only way to travel — past swirls and turrets of snowy cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, with a fat pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and the prospect of seeing Fred's and George's jealous faces when they landed smoothly and spectacularly on the sweeping lawn in front of Hogwarts castle.**

"That is brilliant!" Sirius sighed, almost longingly, before noticing some of the other faces and said, "Up till the point where you all get your hands on them and give them a piece of your minds."

"I do think that is something that Fred and George would have given anything to do though," Arthur said in an afterthought.

**They made regular checks on the train as they flew farther and farther north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. London was soon far behind them, replaced by neat green fields that gave way in turn to wide, purplish moors, a great city alive with cars like multicolored ants, villages with tiny toy churches.**

"Oh that does sound wonderful doesn't it?" Tonks said enviously.

"Wish we could've been there," Sirius said with a bark-like laugh.

**Several uneventful hours later, however, Harry had to admit that some of the fun was wearing off. The toffees had made them extremely thirsty and they had nothing to drink. He and Ron had pulled off their sweaters, but Harry's T-shirt was sticking to the back of his seat and his glasses kept sliding down to the end of his sweaty nose. He had stopped noticing the fantastic cloud shapes now and was thinking longingly of the train miles below, where you could buy ice-cold pumpkin juice from a trolley pushed by a plump witch. Why hadn't they been able to get onto platform nine and three-quarters?**

"I would like to know that as well," Moody exclaimed. "Whoever it was must've had some powerful magic to have actually sealed it off."

"But why would they do that?" Tonks asked him. "What would be the point of sealing it just as Harry and Ron were about to…"

"THAT'S IT!" Sirius yelled, startling them all. "Someone must've tried to stop Harry going back to school!"

"But that doesn't make sense," Remus said. "The only person I can think—other than the Durselys—who wouldn't want Harry to go back is Dobby and…" he stopped talking as soon as those last few words left his mouth.

"You mean to tell me that Dobby did this?" Molly demanded. She didn't know that it was a house-elf who was the one who caused the boys to miss the train.

"Who else can you think of that would be powerful enough to do this?" Remus asked her. "House-elves are more powerful then we give them credit for. And if Dobby was capable of leaving the house without his master's permission then who knows what else he can do."

"Just another example of how we wizards should treat our fellow creatures like equals…" Albus said. "If we fail to do so then we are no better than Death Eaters who believe that anyone outside their circle to be weak and not worth seeing."

As he said all this, he gave Sirius a meaningful glance which Sirius tried to ignore. There was no way that he would ever start to see the little toe-rag Kreacher as an equal—come to think of it, he hadn't seen the elf for awhile now… not that he cared or anything.

But he couldn't help but feel guilty as those clear blue eyes stared through him. Thankfully, Albus didn't go any further and went back to reading.

**"Can't be much further, can it?" croaked Ron, hours later still, as the sun started to sink into their floor of cloud, staining it a deep pink. "Ready for another check on the train?"**

**It was still right below them, winding its way past a snowcapped mountain. It was much darker beneath the canopy of clouds.**

**Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them upward again, but as he did so, the engine began to whine.**

**Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances.**

"No…" Tonks whispered. "They're going to crash into the willow!"

"Of all the bloody trees to hit," Mad-Eye said shaking his head, "They had to hit the only one that hits back. You know I always did like that tree."

**"It's probably just tired," said Ron. "It's never been this far before…"**

"Not quite," Albus said shaking his head. "Muggle electrons do not work on the castle grounds—and that includes a car."

"I didn't know that," Tonks stated in surprise.

"You would if you read _'Hogwarts: a History_,'" Remus said at once.

"I still can't believe that you actually read that boring book!" Sirius said incredulously.

"Actually, it's an interesting read," Minerva said ending the argument.

"Yeah, sure," Sirius said loudly before privately thinking, _'For people who never went on a date before…'_

**And they both pretended not to notice the whining growing louder and louder as the sky became steadily darker. Stars were blossoming in the blackness. Harry pulled his sweater back on, trying to ignore the way the windshield wipers were now waving feebly, as though in protest.**

**"Not far," said Ron, more to the car than to Harry, "not far now," and he patted the dashboard nervously.**

"I don't think that's helping," Tonks said worried.

**When they flew back beneath the clouds a little while later, they had to squint through the darkness for a landmark they knew.**

**"There!" Harry shouted, making Ron and Hedwig jump. "Straight ahead!"**

**Silhouetted on the dark horizon, high on the cliff over the lake, stood the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle.**

**But the car had begun to shudder and was losing speed.**

**"Come on," Ron said cajolingly, giving the steering wheel a little shake, "nearly there, come on —"**

"This isn't going to end well…" Moody declared in an oddly cheerful tone.

"Can you do me a favor?" Molly pleaded, "Stop sounding so happy that they could get hurt!"

**The engine groaned. Narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the hood. Harry found himself gripping the edges of his seat very hard as they flew toward the lake.**

"Better they hit the lake than the ground," Mad-Eye said. _'Or the Willow.'_

"Shut it!" Sirius yelled at him.

**The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of his window, Harry saw the smooth, black, glassy surface of the water, a mile below. Ron's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again.**

**"Come on," Ron muttered.**

**They were over the lake — the castle was right ahead — Ron put his foot down.**

**There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely.**

No… Molly buried her head into Arthur's chest while he stroked her hair. "They're fine… you know they're fine! We all had Christmas together this year, remember?"

She nodded, "But they could still get hurt!" she whined before turning to Minerva and asked, "Did they get hurt?!"

Minerva shifted, "Just a little bit," she confessed. "But only a few cuts from what I saw. Nothing serious… They didn't have to go to the Hospital Wing or anything."

Molly gave a small relieved sigh, but when Dumbledore starting reading again, she felt fear rise again.

She wasn't the only one, Sirius felt better when Minerva said that they boys were alright—but like Molly—he couldn't relax until he heard it from the book. To him, the book was proof that everything would turn out alright.

**"Uh-oh," said Ron, into the silence.**

**The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall.**

**"Noooooo!" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around; they missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time.**

**Ron let go of the steering wheel completely and pulled his wand out of his back pocket —**

**"STOP! STOP!" he yelled, whacking the dashboard and the windshield, but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up toward them —**

"Here it comes!" gulped Remus, dreading the worse.

**"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Harry bellowed, lunging for the steering wheel, but too late —**

**CRUNCH.**

They all winced at Dumbledore's tone at that word.

**With an earsplitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the crumpled hood; Hedwig was shrieking in terror; a golfball-size lump was throbbing on Harry's head where he had hit the windshield; and to his right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan.**

"What? What happened to Ron?" Molly cried, getting anxious before turning to Minerva and said, "I thought you said that they didn't get hurt!"

"I don't think he was moaning because he was hurt," Albus said soothingly. "Listen…"

**"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently.**

**"My wand," said Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand —"**

**It had snapped, almost in two; the tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters.**

"So that's how he broke it?" Arthur asked in surprise. "He told us that it was snapped when he was helping to look for Ginny."

"What do you mean, '_he was helping to looking for Ginny'_?" Tonks demanded. "What do you all know that you don't want to tell us?"

Remus and Sirius both looked up at them with the same curious/annoyed faces. "I would like to hear that as well."

Albus gave them a sad look, before glancing at the Weasley's upset expressions. Moody had his eyebrows raised but didn't say anything, wanting to get to the good stuff as soon as possible. Albus then turned back to the others and said, "I don't think that it would be right to talk about it unless we have to. It will come up later on and you all will understand."

They started to argue, but he cut them off by saying, "Please… the less we argue, the sooner we can finish the book and have all your questions answered."

_'And maybe the sooner I'll have my answers as well,'_ he thought to himself. The other three continued to look cross, but they didn't say anything.

**Harry opened his mouth to say he was sure they'd be able to mend it up at the school, but he never even got started.**

"They won't be able to," Moody said. "Wands can't be mended once they suffer that kind of damage."

"Oh, no," Albus with a grudging smile. "It's difficult—but it is possible."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked. "I always thought that…"

But he just smiled at him politely before going on.

**At that very moment, something hit his side of the car with the force of a charging bull, sending him lurching sideways into Ron, just as an equally heavy blow hit the roof.**

**"What's happen —?"**

"The Whomping Willow is what's happened," Remus looking guilty. He always felt terrible that he was the reason why the tree was planted there.

**Ron gasped, staring through the windshield, and Harry looked around just in time to see a branch as thick as a python smash into it. The tree they had hit was attacking them. Its trunk was bent almost double, and its gnarled boughs were pummeling every inch of the car it could reach.**

**"Aaargh!" said Ron as another twisted limb punched a large dent into his door; the windshield was now trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like twigs and a branch as thick as a battering ram was pounding furiously on the roof, which seemed to be caving in.**

"They better get out of there before they're crushed!" Molly and Sirius shouted at the same time. They blinked and stared at each other in surprise before everyone else chuckled at their expressions.

**"Run for it!" Ron shouted, throwing his full weight against his door, but next second he had been knocked backward into Harry's lap by a vicious uppercut from another branch.**

**"We're done for!" he moaned as the ceiling sagged, but suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating — the engine had restarted.**

**"Reverse!" Harry yelled, and the car shot backward; **

"But—but did the car do that?" Arthur asked slowly. "Or did they do it?"

Albus reread it. "It doesn't say."

"Why do you ask?" Molly asked him before looking disapprovingly at him. "You're the one who enchanted it!"

"Yeah…" Arthur said softly… "But all I did was make it fly and give it that Invisibility Booster—I didn't give it the ability to think for itself!"

"Arthur," Molly said though her frown was slowly fading. "I'm sure the boys were the ones that drove it back once the car started up again…"

"But how is that possible?" Minerva cut in. "Muggle electronics aren't supposed to work on Hogwarts grounds."

"Not unless they've already been tampered with magic," Albus told them as he looked at Arthur curiously for another minute.

**the tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it almost ripped itself up, lashing out at them as they sped out of reach.**

**"That," panted Ron, "was close. Well done, car —"**

**The car, however, had reached the end of its tether. With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open and Harry felt his seat tip sideways: Next thing he knew he was sprawled on the damp ground. Loud thuds told him that the car was ejecting their luggage from the trunk; Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open; she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle without a backward look. Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rear lights blazing angrily.**

"Arthur, what did you do to that car?!" Molly screamed at her husband who was staring at the book in Dumbledore's hands.

"I-I don't know!" he stammered. "I swear, Molly. I don't have the slightest clue how it did all this."

"I have a theory," Albus said to the room. "Maybe you put so much magic and work into it—that once it entered Hogwarts grounds it must've… somehow gained a mind of its own."

"You brought a car to life?" Sirius said sounding impressed.

Arthur just gasped like a fish, not knowing what to say.

**"Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand. "Dad'll kill me!"**

"Not before I kill him," Molly breathed threateningly. "Honestly, the worry that me and Arthur went through when we finally got back through the barrier and to see that it was gone!"

**But the car disappeared from view with one last snort from its exhaust.**

**"Can you believe our luck?" said Ron miserably, bending down to pick up Scabbers. "Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."**

"Just Potter's luck," Moody declared.

"It could've been worse," Tonks said trying to act cheerful. "They could've crashed into the lake and been eaten by the Giant Squid—or, or they could've crashed somewhere in the Forest and died on impact—or they could've…"

"Thank you, I think we get it!" Molly shouted.

**He glanced over his shoulder at the ancient tree, which was still flailing its branches threateningly.**

**"Come on," said Harry wearily, "we'd better get up to the school…"**

**It wasn't at all the triumphant arrival they had pictured. Stiff, cold, and bruised, they seized the ends of their trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope, toward the great oak front doors.**

"No," Sirius said with sympathy. "I don't think that they ever pictured this. But still, they made it."

"And almost got killed in the process!" Molly snapped at him.

**"I think the feast's already started," said Ron, dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey — Harry — come and look — it's the Sorting!"**

"Oh!" Molly cried happily. "Ginny's sorting!"

**Harry hurried over and, together, he and Ron peered in at the Great Hall.**

**Innumerable candles were hovering in midair over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars.**

**Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, Harry saw a long line of scared-looking first years filing into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair. **

Molly cooed proudly, wishing that she could've watched all of her children being sorted.

**Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers.**

**Every year, this aged old hat, patched, frayed, and dirty, sorted new students into the four Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, **

All the Gryffindors in the room either smiled or let out loud roars of delight.

**Hufflepuff, **

Tonks gave a loud cry of pride.

**Ravenclaw, and Slytherin).**

Only Severus smiled smugly at the mention of the final house.

**Harry well remembered putting it on, exactly one year ago, and waiting, petrified, for its decision as it muttered aloud in his ear. For a few horrible seconds he had feared that the hat was going to put him in Slytherin, the house that had turned out more Dark witches and wizards than any other **

"Wait…" Severus said slowly. "You mean to tell me that Potter almost ended up in my house?"

He just couldn't picture it. There was no way that a noble and arrogant brat like Potter could've been in his house. Slytherins knew how to survive and plan. They knew that it was best to run and live another day than stand your ground against an enemy. Potter was the type of person who would rather stay behind and fight than run.

Hold on… did he just give Potter a compliment?

"Does it matter?" Sirius snapped. "He ended up in Gryffindor in the end so you don't need to worry about it!"

**but he had ended up in Gryffindor, along with Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys. **

**Last term, Harry and Ron had helped Gryffindor win the House Championship, beating Slytherin for the first time in seven years.**

Minerva grinned at that thought, while Severus's gritted his teeth.

**A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head. Harry's eyes wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. **

Albus laughed at his own description.

**Several seats along, Harry saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.**

**"Hang on…" Harry muttered to Ron. "There's an empty chair at the staff table… Where's Snape?"**

**Professor Severus Snape was Harry's least favorite teacher. **

"Oh, believe me," Severus growled dangerous. "It's mutual."

**Harry also happened to be Snape's least favorite student. Cruel, sarcastic, and disliked by everybody except the students from his own house (Slytherin), Snape taught Potions.**

**"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.**

Severus snorted. "Remind me to give Weasley a detention when I get back."

**"Maybe he's left," said Harry, "because he missed out on the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"**

**"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. **

"Or maybe they should look behind them?" Severus added silkily.

"You're there aren't you?" Mad-Eye asked with a lopsided smile.

**"I mean, everyone hates him —"**

**"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train."**

**Harry spun around. There, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze, stood Severus Snape. He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair, and at this moment, he was smiling in a way that told Harry he and Ron were in very deep trouble.**

"Wow, it's amazing how perfect these descriptions are," Sirius smirked and Severus scowled in annoyance.

"In that case, I can't wait to hear how it describes you, Black," he hissed.

The smirk was wiped off his face. _'I hate you,'_ he thought fiercely. He was itching to punch Snape's smug look… thankfully, Dumbledore must've seen the tension and started reading again.

**"Follow me," said Snape.**

**Not daring even to look at each other, Harry and Ron followed Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. A delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase that led into the dungeons.**

Sirius could hear his stomach beginning to rumble. All this talk of food was really beginning to take a toll on him.

**"In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing.**

**They entered Snape's office, shivering. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things Harry didn't really want to know the name of at the moment. The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape closed the door and turned to look at them.**

"Well," Tonks said brightly. "You sure know how to decorate a room don't you?"

**"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Harry Potter** **and his faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?"**

"They didn't intend to arrive with that kind of a bang!" Sirius yelled at him. "They just ran afoul with some bad luck!"

"Can you really blame me?" Severus asked. "Potter and Weasley are always doing stupid stunts like this. How do I know if they didn't just do it to get attention?"

"Why would Harry want any more attention then he already has?" Remus asked him.

**"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it —"**

**"Silence!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?" Ron gulped. This wasn't the first time Snape had given Harry the impression of being able to read minds. **

"For the hundredth time, you cannot read minds!" Severus cried out annoyed. "Just because Potter's mind is as hopeless as…"

"That's enough, Severus," Albus said softly.

**But a moment later, he understood, as Snape unrolled today's issue of the Evening Prophet. "You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES. He began to read aloud: "Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower… at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing… Mr. Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police… Six or seven Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he said, looking up at Ron and smiling still more nastily. "Dear, dear… his own son…"**

Tonks turned to Molly and Arthur and asked, "You guys weren't given a hard time because of this were you?"

"A little bit," Arthur said with a wave of his hand. "It was brushed over eventfully though, and it's been several years since then. Nobody remembers anymore." Besides, the boys more than made up for their mistake by saving Ginny and preventing the school from closing down.

"Thank goodness," Molly sighed.

**Harry felt as though he'd just been walloped in the stomach by one of the mad tree's larger branches. If anyone found out Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car… he hadn't thought of that…**

"Don't worry, Harry. It turned out alright in the end," Arthur said touched by the boy's concern.

**"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on.**

**"That tree did more damage to us than we —" Ron blurted out.**

"He really shouldn't have said that," Moody muttered.

**"Silence!" snapped Snape again. **

"If you let them explain!" Tonks said angrily, "Then maybe you'd understand why they did it!"

**"Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here."**

"Well," Sirius said. "Thank God you don't have that kind of power because you would be expelling everyone who wasn't in Slytherin."

Severus glared at him.

**Harry and Ron stared at each other, white-faced. Harry didn't feel hungry any more. He now felt extremely sick. He tried not to look at a large, slimy something suspended in green liquid on a shelf behind Snape's desk. If Snape had gone to fetch Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, they were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.**

"Do I really scare them that much?" Minerva asked surprised.

"Well, they're only second-years," Albus said with a smile in her direction. "Children always take the rules much more seriously than the older students because they expect the worse."

"Those three never minded about breaking the rules before!" Severus said in disbelief.

"They just don't think about it until after they've done it," Albus told him.

**Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. Harry had seen Professor McGonagall angry on several occasions, but either he had forgotten just how thin her mouth could go, or he had never seen her this angry before.**

"I was furious when I found out about what they did," stated Minerva. "I couldn't figure out what was going through their heads when I heard."

"You weren't too hard on them though were you?" Sirius asked anxious.

"No," Severus spat. "They were too soft on them!"

**She raised her wand the moment she entered; Harry and Ron both flinched, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.**

"They honestly thought that I was going to curse them?" Minerva said in shock.

"You are able to strike fear into the hearts of many students," Remus smiled at her fondly. "And I think that we all know that they were going to be expecting punishment."

"But still," Minerva said. "We never use magic on a student for punishments."

**"Sit," she said, and they both backed into chairs by the fire.**

**"Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.**

**Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through.**

**"— so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."**

**"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Harry.**

**Harry gaped at her. Now she said it, that seemed the obvious thing to have done.**

"It was on a spur of the moment!" Sirius said. "They didn't think it through."

"That's no excuse for them to do something so stupid!" Minerva said darkly.

"They just wanted to show off!" Snape said rolling his eyes.

"No," Arthur said slowly. "I can understand why Harry didn't think of sending an owl."

"Why?" Moody asked gruffly.

Arthur sighed. "Think about it—Hogwarts is like home for Harry. We all know about the kind of treatment that he's used to at the Dursley's… his life was no better than a house-elf's. He was punished no matter what he did, even for things that he didn't do or couldn't help; everything from a bit of accidental magic that he couldn't control to the fact that his hair is uncombable. They treated him like he was some kind of disease… they didn't even bother call him by his name.

They all looked at each other—guilt, horror, and pity was swimming in their eyes. All of them forced with the fact that Harry's childhood must've been hell on earth. And they all felt shame for not being able to see it before.

"Anyway," Arthur went on dully. "All I'm saying is that he was desperate to return to school on time because he was worried that he might've had to return to the Dursleys if there was no other way to get there."

On that cheerful note, they all ended up lost in their own heads.

Severus and Minerva were both feeling guilty that they were so hard on them that night. Severus was once again forced to see that Potter was more like him than he ever thought of. He then began to wonder… if that had happened to him when he was still going to school and he knew that there was a flying car parked right outside—would he have done the same?

Sirius was feeling like someone was squeezing his heart tightly as he bit down on his lip. He wanted to know every little bit of detail about the Dursleys that these books had to offer him. He wanted to make them pay for every bit of pain that they caused his godson. Once he was finished with them… they were never going to be able to hurt anyone—especially Harry ever again.

Tonks was feeling bitter and angry. She was thinking that she would have to show up to number 4 and give them a real scare… like—showing them a dragon—or letting a few boggarts lose in their house. As she became lost in her plans of revenge, Remus was wishing that he never heard this. He wished that he could wash his brain clean of it. After everything that James did for him, he failed to help his only son when he needed it most. Maybe he didn't deserve to be one of the Marauders after all.

Molly and Arthur glanced at each other, sharing another silent agreement. Even if Harry couldn't return to school, they would've been more than happy to take him in. They no longer cared whatever Dumbledore told them. Harry was like a member of the family and there was no way that they were going to allow him to return to a place where he was abused and unhappy.

As for Moody, he was impressed with the boys raw nerve—all three of the trio in fact. Willing to do anything to do what they thought that they had to. Yes, they were showing qualities needed to become Aurors… looks like there's hope for the next generation after all.

Dumbledore went on with the book—though he felt as if he had just been punched in the gut after hearing that.

**"I — I didn't think —"**

**"That," said Professor McGonagall, "is obvious."**

Sirius and Remus laughed. "Why couldn't you be this funny when _we_ were in trouble?"

"Because I wasn't going to give you the satisfaction," she said, thought there was a hint of laugher in her voice. She never realized just how she acted in front of others before now. It was both funny and a little strange hearing about yourself from another's point of view.

**There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, **

"You can actually be happy?" asked a voice. Severus scowled at Sirius, but then realized that it was actually Moody who spoke.

Severus flushed before giving him a spiteful look.

**opened it.**

**There stood the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. Harry's whole body went numb. Dumbledore was looking unusually grave. He stared down his very crooked nose at them, and Harry suddenly found himself wishing he and Ron were still being beaten up by the Whomping Willow.**

"Poor kid," Tonks said. Sirius and Remus privately agreed. They both were brought before the Headmaster many times in their school days. And he always made them feel so ashamed of themselves before they left his office. Not that it stopped them from pulling pranks of course… they would usually wait a day or two before going back to the drawing board.

**There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."**

**It would have been better if he had shouted. **

"I never could bring myself to shout at my students," Dumbledore said out loud. "I just can't seem to bring myself to be angry at them even if they deserve it. But I do believe that this works even better."

"Yeah," Remus said quietly as he looked down at his feet like he always did when he was dragged up to Dumbledore's office with his friends. It was so nostalgic that Albus couldn't help but laugh, which caused them all to look at him questioningly.

**Harry hated the disappointment in his voice. For some reason, he was unable to look Dumbledore in the eyes, and spoke instead to his knees. **

"Oh, man," Sirius said. "That's how I felt when me and James were once caught after the beetle incident."

"What's the beetle incident?" Arthur just had to ask.

Sirius laughed, "Well you see… me and James took about three buckets of beetles and then we…"

As he went into details, most started to roar with laughter. Except for Severus who was looking irritated like he always did whenever James Potter was mentioned, and Minerva who was just rolling her eyes. But you could see some humor as her lips fought a smile.

But thanks to all the noise, Tonks was able to lean over and whisper into Albus's ear, almost harshly, "Now, don't you feel guilty that you're keeping him in the dark about everything involving the war for so long? Especially keeping him locked up in that house without any information all summer? He really cares about you, Dumbledore, you do know that right? Your approval means a lot to him."

Albus felt himself blushing slightly, hating the feeling of him wanting to believe it. But listening to Harry's story like this was causing him to care for the boy even more that he did before, almost as if he was listening to his own grandson's life then just one of his student's.

But he just whispered back to her before everyone else stopped laughing, "As much as I appreciate if what you said is true, I think it's just guilt for doing something so reckless that's he's feeling like this."

Tonks rolled her eyes, "For someone so smart, you sure can be so dense sometimes. Or…" she added. "Maybe you're too stubborn to accept it?"

He was glad that everyone had finished laughing and calmed down so he was able to seize his chance to keep going before Tonks could say anything else.

**He told Dumbledore everything except that Mr. Weasley owned the bewitched car, making it sound as though he and Ron had happened to find a flying car parked outside the station. He knew Dumbledore would see through this at once, but Dumbledore asked no questions about the car. When Harry had finished, he merely continued to peer at them through his spectacles.**

"Did you really believe that?" Arthur asked Albus.

He looked back with his eyes twinkling. "Of course not. But they looked so scared that I didn't have the heart to ask them anything else."

**"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.**

**"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.**

**"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.**

**Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore.**

"See?" Tonks asked him triumphantly.

Albus pretended not to hear her as he went on, the others looking confused to what she was talking about.

**"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. **

"If you didn't, I sure hope I did," Molly said crossly.

**I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."**

"You wouldn't really do that would you?" Remus asked with a smirk.

"No," Albus stated simply. "By the end of the year, I was left with no choice but to eat my own words."

"Really?" Tonks said impressed. "Oh, I really want to know what happens now."

**Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled. **

**He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree — surely acts of this nature —"**

"Funny," Minerva said shrewdly. "I was under the impression that you hated that tree, Severus."

"What makes you say that?" he demanded.

"Well, at the beginning each year at our staff meetings you always insist that we should uproot it."

He flushed angrily and turned away. Sirius couldn't help but grin.

**"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these boys' punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample —"**

**Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.**

**"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding."**

"WHAT?" Molly cried in panic, until Albus went on saying.

**"Not much," said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve. "Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted —"**

**"The Sorting Ceremony is over," said Professor McGonagall. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."**

**"Oh, good," said Ron.**

"Of course she would. I mean, where else would a Weasley go?" Sirius asked.

"I dunno," Remus said thoughtfully. "Think about you. Practically your whole family ended up in Slytherin."

Sirius nodded grimly. But almost immediately brightened and said, "I remember the day that dear old mum found out that I was in Gryffindor… boy was she mad."

"Yes," Remus said nodding. "You were the bane of her existence, or so you proudly claim."

**"And speaking of Gryffindor —" Professor McGonagall said sharply, but Harry cut in: "Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so — so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it — should it?" he finished, watching her anxiously.**

"He's got some nerve," Remus chuckled.

"Not going to work," Sirius said knowingly.

**Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look, but he was sure she had almost smiled. Her mouth looked less thin, anyway.**

**"I will not take any points from Gryffindor," she said, and Harry's heart lightened considerably. "But you will both get a detention." **

Sirius's jaw dropped as he stared over at her. "You really do have a heart in there somewhere don't you?"

"And you say you don't favor your students," Mad-Eye barked.

Minerva just gave them both a stern look. "I don't favor my students. That just had to be the best reason not to take any points that I've ever heard in all my time teaching there. But they did get detention."

"Which they both deserved," Molly stated.

"OK," Mad-Eye asked loudly. "I don't get this. In their first year—you took off 150 points and sent them into the Forest just for being caught out of bed. Now… they flew an illegal car from London to school, were spotted by Muggles, crashed into the Whomping Willow, and all you give them is a detention? Tell me, what part of this make any sense?"

The teacher chose not to reply.

**It was better than Harry had expected. As for Dumbledore's writing to the Dursleys, that was nothing. Harry knew perfectly well they'd just be disappointed that the Whomping Willow hadn't squashed him flat.**

They glared at the book again. How can your own family actually hope, and not care, if you die? How could someone as kind-hearted as Lily Potter possibly be relate to Petunia?

**Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.**

**"You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitory," she said. "I must also return to the feast."**

**When the door had closed behind her, Ron let out a long, low whistle.**

**"I thought we'd had it," he said, grabbing a sandwich.**

**"So did I," said Harry, taking one, too.**

**"Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them." **

"WHAT?!" Molly screamed out. "They flew that car five or six times? Oh, you wait until I get my hands on them!" She rounded on Arthur and yelled, "Did you know about this?"

He shook his head quickly. "I swear, Molly! I'm as surprised as you!"

**He swallowed and took another huge bite. "Why couldn't we get through the barrier?"**

"Because of a nutty house-elf whose idea of _'helping'_ is making your life harder than it has to be," Moody growled.

**Harry shrugged. "We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," he said, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we could've gone up to the feast…"**

"After that stunt?" Minerva said incredulously.

"Yeah, but think about it! The looks on Fred and George's faces would have been worth it!" laughed Sirius.

**"She didn't want us showing off," said Ron sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car."**

**When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could (the plate kept refilling itself) they rose and left the office, treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. The castle was quiet; it seemed that the feast was over. They walked past muttering portraits and creaking suits of armor, and climbed narrow flights of stone stairs, until at last they reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

**"Password?" she said as they approached.**

**"Er —" said Harry.**

**They didn't know the new year's password, not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately; they heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione dashing toward them.**

"She's always shows up when you need her," Tonks said happily.

"Oh, she must've been so worried about them," Arthur said with a nod of his head. "She had no idea where they were the whole ride over."

**"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors — someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car!"**

**"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry assured her.**

"I'd loved to have seen her face," Sirius smirked.

**"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall.**

**"Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."**

**"It's 'wattlebird,'" said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point —"**

"A rooster?" Moody asked. "Wattlebird is a rooster… why would the password be a bird?"

Albus thought about that, "Ironic isn't it?" he asked himself.

**Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them.**

**"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years —"**

"Are they?" Sirius asked excited.

"Not really," Minerva admitted. "In light of everything else that happened that year it was pushed out of everyone's minds. But you do hear about it every once in awhile."

"What do you mean, _'in light of everything else'_?" he asked her unsurely.

"I rather not be the one to tell you," she said plainly. "You'll understand a little further on."

Before he could complain, Molly cried out in exasperation, "I can't believe they're being congratulated for being so stupid! They're being treated like heroes or something!"

**"Good for you," said a fifth year Harry had never spoken to; someone was patting him on the back as though he'd just won a marathon; Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"**

"Oh, they're lucky that they didn't take that car with them," Molly said warningly.

**Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but Harry could see one person who didn't look happy at all. Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.**

"Braking up the fun as always," Tonks said wisely.

**"Got to get upstairs — bit tired," he said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.**

**"'Night," Harry called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's.**

**They managed to get to the other side of the common room, still having their backs slapped, and gained the peace of the staircase. They hurried up it, right to the top, and at last reached the door of their old dormitory, which now had a sign on it saying SECOND YEARS. They entered the familiar, circular room, with its five four-posters hung with red velvet and its high, narrow windows. Their trunks had been brought up for them and stood at the ends of their beds.**

**Ron grinned guiltily at Harry.**

**"I know I shouldn't've enjoyed that or anything, but…"**

"I can't believe them… they could've… I outta…" Molly seemed to be having trouble coming up with words and finally settled on, "Boys…"

**The dormitory door flew open and in came the other second year Gryffindor boys, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom.**

**"Unbelievable!" beamed Seamus.**

**"Cool," said Dean.**

**"Amazing," said Neville, awestruck.**

**Harry couldn't help it. He grinned, too.**

"Of course he did," Sirius laughed. "He's a kid and for once people aren't thinking of him as the Boy-Who-Lived. Flying a car to school! That is amazing! That tops us in any joke or prank that we thought up while we were still going! That is one heck of a way to kick off the new school year!"

"Listen you…" Molly began, but she never had a chance to finish. Albus closed the book and lay it on the table before standing up and stretched. "I wish that I could continue to read more with the rest of you," he said to the room, "Unfortunately, the three of us must head back to the school if we wish for it to still be there."

"Right," Minerva said also getting up. "We can't leave Umbridge in charge for too long or else she'll try to take over."

"What do you mean by _try_?" Snape asked sarcastically. "She already has!"

He let out a grunt before he stood up and left the room without another word. Dumbledore watched him go before he turned back to the others and said, "Ok, take notes for us on what happens. We should be back in a few hours. We just want to make sure that Umbridge hasn't done anything to the school with us gone."

"A little late for that," Minerva hissed before she followed Severus out of the room.

"Whatever you want," Sirius said dully. "Just make sure that Harry's safe for me while you're there. That's the only reason why I haven't killed you yet."

Albus bowed low to them before he left with a sweep of his robes.

Once he was gone, Sirius put his hand on his stomach and whined, "I'm starving!"

"Well, I guess that's my cue to head to the kitchen and see what I can make," Molly said as she got up and headed down to the kitchens. "We can all read after we get some food in us!"

_*Later*_

Molly did the best she could with the limited food they had in the cupboards and had made a lunch of chicken, mashed potatoes, and mince pies. Well except for Mad-Eye who made his own lunch and his own homemade brand of Firewhiskey. As they all ate, they talked about the books. Sirius, Remus, and Tonks all filled the others in on what really happened during their first year.

Molly and Arthur were amazed at what their Ron, Harry, and Hermione really went through when they were just eleven. And when Molly heard about McGonagall's giant chess set, she beamed with pride.

"So," Tonks said as she lay down her fork at last and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "Even back then, they were reckless and crazy. But I guess that's just the way things are."

Sirius and Molly in the meantime were both talking about making sure that Harry never went back to the Dursleys and were even planning ideas on what to do if Dumbledore still insisted on that.

"There is no way that Dumbledore will let Harry go back after hearing all this," Molly stated with certain.

"I don't know about that," Sirius said grimly, "I think that as long as he thinks you're safe somewhere, then you're staying there. I mean look at me, I've been stuck in this house for months because he thinks it's the best place for me."

"Well," Molly said uncomfortably, "You are safe here."

He laughed darkly, "From Voldemort maybe… from losing my mind? I don't think so."

Arthur was talking to Remus who was thinking about Dobby. "You really think that it was Dobby who blocked them?"

"I don't know for sure, but I say that it's a good possibility," Remus told him. "He sounded like he was willing to do anything to keep Harry from returning to Hogwarts. I don't think that it would've been too difficult for him to stop the barrier from letting them through."

They all talked for awhile, long after all the food was gone. Once they finally realized that there wasn't anything left, they all headed back upstairs to start on the next chapter. Tonks picked up the book and looked around at them. "Ok," she said. "Who wants to read next?"

No one answered for a moment, but then Sirius took it from her hands before he fell back onto his chair. "I haven't read for a while. I'll do it."

Everyone took their seats, with the Weasleys on the couch with Remus, Tonks in a chair nearest to the fireplace, and Mad-Eye sitting in a chair right across from Sirius with his hands on his staff.

Sirius opened up the pages and read out, "**Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart**."


	8. Gilderoy Lockhart

**(Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling! I own nothing)**

**Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart**

Sirius opened up the pages and read out, "**Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart**."

Nearly everyone groaned at those words.

"Gilderoy Lockhart?" repeated Sirius in disgust as he looked at the picture of the mandrake being pulled from the ground. "Give me a break! Why did I have to get this chapter?"

"I can't believe that bonehead gets his own chapter," Moody grumbled.

"Well, maybe this means… that maybe… just maybe he's not all that bad," Remus stated though he highly doubted it. "I mean… he must know something useful if he wrote all those books?"

Everyone but Molly stared at him as though he had grown an extra head.

"I think, Remus is right," she said.

"Oh, of course you would!" Sirius said with another eye roll. "You're that gits number one fan!"

"If you don't want to read, Sirius," Arthur said as he saw the furious look on his wife's face.

"No," Sirius told him with a wave of his hand. "I may not like him but I haven't read in awhile." He cleared his throat and read out:

**The next day, however, Harry barely grinned once. **

"Well that certainly doesn't sound like the best start to the new year," Tonks said.

**Things started to go downhill from breakfast in the Great Hall. The four long house tables were laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, **

Sirius grinned, "You know that sounds delicious."

"Sirius, you just ate," Molly told him in amazement.

"I've told you before," Sirius said happily. "Can I help it if I have a bottomless pit for a stomach?"

**beneath the enchanted ceiling (today, a dull, cloudy gray). Harry and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione, who had her copy of Voyages with Vampires propped open against a milk jug. There was a slight stiffness in the way she said "Morning," which told Harry that she was still disapproving of the way they had arrived. **

"Sounds like it," Tonks giggled. You can read Hermione like an open book… you can always tell what she's feeling.

**Neville Longbottom, on the other hand, greeted them cheerfully. Neville was a round-faced and accident-prone boy with the worst memory of anyone Harry had ever met.**

Remus chuckled as he remembered Frank and Alice Longbottom. "That's true. He takes after his mother with that memory. Alice had always been a little forgetful as well."

**"Mail's due any minute — I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot."**

**Harry had only just started his porridge when, sure enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.**

"Three guess who that is?" Arthur asked in a carefree tone.

"You might want to consider getting a new owl," Remus told them. "I don't think that Errol can take anymore deliveries."

The two Weasley's blushed…

"Well…" Molly began slowly, "We would but…"

"We just can't afford one right now," Arthur stated as he turned red. Realizing their mistake and how uncomfortable the couple became, Sirius decided to try and distracted them with reading.

**"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, Unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.**

"Uh no," Sirius stated with a laugh, "Looks like someone got a Howler."

"Well," Molly stated firmly. "I couldn't yell at them in person, so this was the next best thing."

"That is a bit cruel though don't you think?" Sirius asked her.

"What would you have done if you just received a letter from Dumbledore telling you what your son and his best friend did?" she demanded.

Personally? He would've congratulated them. But that was just him…

**"Oh, no —" Ron gasped.**

**"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.**

"That's not why he's worried," replied Tonks with a grin. She remembered all the times that her mother sent her Howlers because of her unfortunate ability to not being able to behave herself.

"He knows that he's about to be told off in front of the whole school," Sirius nodded with a smirk.

**"It's not that — it's that."**

**Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to Harry, but Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode.**

"Because it always does," Sirius said knowingly.

"I lost count," Remus told him conversationally, "Just how much Howlers did you and James get from home?"

He shrugged with a bark for a laugh, "Dear old mum stopped sending them to me after I ran away from home. She preferred to think that I didn't exist anymore. But James's mum was more than happy to send them to both of us at least three times a week."

"Three times a week?" Molly repeated in amazement. "Just what kind of trouble did you get into when you were young?"

Sirius opened his mouth, ready to explain, but then Remus covered his mouth with his hand and said to her, "Trust me on this, Molly… you really don't want to know."

Sirius glared at him without any real heat before going back to the story.

**"What's the matter?" said Harry.**

**"She's — she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.**

**"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" — he gulped —"it was horrible."**

"Why did she send him a Howler?" Tonks asked confused.

"If I had to guess," Arthur said thinking it over, "It would be that incident with the dragon last year and helping to lose so many points for Gryffindor."

"Well, that's not fair," Tonks said frowning.

"Then again," Remus went on, "I'm only guessing…"

**Harry looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope.**

**"What's a Howler?" he said.**

"He was so innocent," Remus sighed as he shared a sad look with Sirius, who returned it. How could someone as naive as this little kid be the same toughened teenager that they saw just over Christmas? Just what happened for him to change so much? The events of his first year alone sure justified it, but in the book it didn't seem that Harry lost that innocence just yet. Which meant… that things were certain about to get worse.

**But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.**

**"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes —"**

**Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, Harry knew why. He thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.**

Sirius then held the book out to Molly. She looked at it confused until he asked, "Don't you want to read this part?" he asked with a grin. "I think it would seem more realistic if you did."

"No," she said gruffly.

He shrugged, "Have it your way." And then to everyone's surprised, he began to shout in a higher voice than usual to try and sound like Molly did when she was shouting. He yelled so loud that they all had to clamp their hands over their ears.

**"—STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —"**

"Ow!" Tonks said indigently as she rubbed her throbbing ears. "What was that for?"

Sirius said, "I thought that it would feel more proper if I shouted it. I asked Molly," he looked over at her for a moment before saying, "But nnnnoooooo. She didn't want to do it."

"And you feel the need to yell?" she snapped. He could only laugh as he went on reading but in his normal voice.

**Mrs. Weasleys yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.**

"That's how you're supposed to act," Remus said smiling. "I remember when you and James got one you both would stand up proudly and wave to everyone and once it was finished shouting you both would take a bow."

"Good times, good good times," he said with a happy sigh. And without warning, he started shouting again.

**"—LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED —"**

"Can you please stop that?!" Arthur yelled at him covering his ears.

"Sorry," he said though he didn't sound sorry at all. "I just couldn't resist."

"On another note, you sure know how to play the guilt trip don't you?" Moody stated, finally speaking for the first time since the chapter started.

"It comes with experience," she said grimly. "Particularly, when you're dealing with twins. Besides, someone needed to tell them off for that stunt they pulled. Everyone was treating them like they were great heroes or something! They couldn't go around thinking that it would be a brilliant idea to do something that stupid and think that they could get off without any consequences—either it was for them or someone else!"

"Ok!" Tonks told her soothingly, "We get it. We all know that it was a stupid and reckless thing to do but hey at least everything worked out in the end."

**Harry had been wondering when his name was going to crop up. He tried very hard to look as though he couldn't hear the voice that was making his eardrums throb.**

**"—ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."**

Noticing the threatening looks on all their faces, Sirius quickly told them, "Alright! I'll stop. That's where the Howler ends anyway."

**A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Harry and Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over them. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.**

"I hate to say it," Mad-Eye spoke up, "But _someone _needed to do it, might as well have been a mother. I get why they did it, but still… they might've gotten overconfident if you didn't send one. And these days, it's overconfidence that kills people more than anything."

"Really?" Tonks asked him in mock surprise. "Wow, and all this time I thought that it was Voldemort."

Sirius let out a dark laugh before saying:

**Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head.**

**"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you —"**

"Oh, come on! He's just got his first Howler!" cried Sirius. "Leave him be!"

"Just asking," Tonks turned to Molly, "How many Howlers have you sent to him?"

"Aside from that one?" she asked, surprised herself. "I haven't."

"What?!" Sirius and Remus gasped. "After all the stuff that they got into?"

Molly just shrugged. "If it makes you happy, I'll send one tonight if you want."

"No! Don't do it to the poor kid!" Remus said quickly. "We were just surprised, that's all."

**"Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron.**

**Harry pushed his porridge away. His insides were burning with guilt. Mr. Weasley was facing an inquiry at work. After all Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done for him over the summer…**

Remus glanced at the Weasleys and spoke up, "Looks like you're Howler worked better for Harry than it did for Ron."

"You know, even though I have every right to be, I just can't stay angry at them," Arthur said softly. "I mean, with this insight of Harry's thoughts and feelings, it's kind of hard to be. I can now see both sides of the story and see things I didn't see before."

"I see your point Arthur," Molly said strictly. "But I still think that it was irresponsible and stupid."

"Well, they were only twelve," Arthur told her. "They were just kids, Molly, and I'm sure that they panicked. No wonder they couldn't think straight at the time."

Molly pursed her lips and said nothing, thinking over what he just said.

**But he had no time to dwell on this; Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. Harry took his and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first.**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. At least the Howler had done one good thing:**

"What was that?" Tonks demanded.

**Hermione seemed to think they had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again.**

"Oh," she said. Yes, it would've been very depressing if the trio wasn't talking to each other. She found it so sad during the first book when they thought that not speaking to each other was a blessing.

**As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart. Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, and with another twinge of guilt, Harry spotted the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings.**

"Ouch," Sirius muttered. He could only imagine how the willow felt after the car crashed into it.

**Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.**

Sirius pretended to gag while the others laughed.

"I never did like him," Mad-Eye growled. "I met him only one time when he paid a trip to the ministry. This was right before I retired. Anyway, when he saw me in the hallway, he came to me and tried to give me advice on how to do my job!"

They all stared at him.

"That self-important, pretty-boy git," Tonks said slowly, "Tried to give you… Mad-Eye Moody, advice on how to be an Auror?"

"Yep," Moody growled unconcerned.

Tonks felt her jaw drop. Moody… she admired him and looked up to him ever since her Auror training… he was even the one who inspired her to become an Auror in the first place. And now she heard that some pompous git who bragged and talked too much tried to tell her mentor how to do his job? She just couldn't picture it.

"How did he try and do that?" Sirius asked seriously, (No pun intended). "Did he try and talk you into buying his book?"

Moody laughed darkly. "No… but that's not a bad guess though."

**"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"**

"You mean to tell me that he was trying to instruct a Herbology professor on how to do her job too?" Sirius snorted.

"Oh, right!" Tonks shouted angrily. Sprout was her favorite teacher when she was still going to school and to hear this prat talk like this made her furious. "I'm sure she that she needed the help, because a _Herbology_ teacher wouldn't know how to deal with plants on her own would she?"

"Ok," Remus said as he put his hand on her shoulder timidly, afraid that she would snap at him. "Just calm down a little bit. He's not there anymore and Sprout still is… just breath and relax."

Tonks took several deep breathes before she nodded and said, "Ok… I'm ok now. It's just that every time this guy opens his mouth it makes me wish I could punch his lights out."

"Now…" Molly began reproachfully, "I'm sure he… er… has some good points."

They all goggled at her as if worried for her sanity. Molly looked around her before she slumped back into her seat and said nothing.

**"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.**

"I don't blame her," Moody said. "When I met him, I wanted to jinx that idiot so hard that he would have to crawl all the way to St. Mungo's."

**There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Harry caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. He was about to follow Ron and Hermione inside when Lockhart's hand shot out.**

"What does he do now?" Sirius demanded.

"Read and we'll find out!" Moody said annoyed, getting tired of all these interruptions.

**"Harry! I've been wanting a word — you don't mind if he's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"**

"Something tells me that she does mind," Remus said, remembering the professor when he was still a student and when he went back to teach.

**Judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face.**

**"Harry," said Lockhart, his large white teeth gleaming in the sunlight as he shook his head. "Harry, Harry, Harry."**

"Well, at least he knows Harry's name," Arthur said, causing a light laugh from everyone

**Completely nonplussed, Harry said nothing.**

**"When I heard — well, of course, it was all my fault. Could have kicked myself."**

"What on earth is he talking about?" Tonks asked, looking confused. "But to tell you the truth, I kinda like the idea of someone kicking him."

"No idea," Remus replied with a grin.

**Harry had no idea what he was talking about. He was about to say so when Lockhart went on, "Don't know when I've been more shocked. Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile. Harry, Harry, Harry."**

**It was remarkable how he could show every one of those brilliant teeth even when he wasn't talking.**

Sirius roared with laughter. "I swear, there is no way that those are natural. He must've done something for them to do that."

**"Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?" said Lockhart. "Gave you the bug. You got onto the front page of the paper with me and you couldn't wait to do it again."**

They all let that sink in.

Remus asked, "Ah, Sirius… I think that there was something wrong with my hearing… could you please repeat the line?"

**"Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?" said Lockhart. "Gave you the bug. You got onto the front page of the paper with me and you couldn't wait to do it again."**

"How thick… just how thick can you get?" demanded Sirius in outrage. "Harry Potter… going out of his way to get on the front page of a newspaper?"

"Yeah," snarled Molly sarcastically, furious that anyone could actually think that. "Harry always seems to be trying to get everyone's attention, doesn't he?"

Still fuming, Sirius went on to see how Harry will take this.

**"Oh, no, Professor, see —"**

**"Harry, Harry, Harry," said Lockhart, reaching out and grasping his shoulder. **

"I think we already know what his name is," Mad-Eye said irritated.

**"I understand. Natural to want a bit more once you've had that first taste — and I blame myself for giving you that, because it was bound to go to your head — but see here, young man, you can't start flying cars to try and get yourself noticed. Just calm down, all right? Plenty of time for all that when you're older. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking! 'It's all right for him, he's an internationally famous wizard already!' But when I was twelve, I was just as much of a nobody as you are now. **

"What?" Sirius called.

"Did he really just call Harry Potter a nobody?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the boy who defeated Voldemort, being called a nobody?" Remus repeated, incredulously. "Does this guy know anything about history at all?"

**In fact, I'd say I was even more of a nobody!** **I mean, a few people have heard of you, haven't they? All that business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" He glanced at the lightning scar on Harry's forehead. **

"Oh, no," Sirius said with heavy sarcasm. "No, only the whole wizarding world knows his name… other than that… nobody at all."

**"I know, I know — it's not quite as good as winning Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award five times in a row, as I have — but it's a start, Harry, it's a start."**

"Hmm," Sirius sneered. "Let's see… surviving the unstoppable killing curse, defeating a power-hungry murdering manic—more than once, and bringing peace to the wizarding world for over a decade before said manic returns while you were just a wee baby or getting an award for your smile? Which do you all think is more impressive?"

"Who does he think would rather win a stupid contest than defeating Voldemort… other than himself that is?" asked Remus incredulously. "Just how can he be so full of himself?"

"I'm going to guess that it took years of practice," Moody exclaimed. "You really have to work hard to become that big-headed."

**He gave Harry a hearty wink and strode off. Harry stood stunned for a few seconds, then, remembering he was supposed to be in the greenhouse, he opened the door and slid inside.**

**Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-colored ear muffs were lying on the bench. When Harry had taken his place between Ron and Hermione, she said, "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"**

"It's one of the most powerful restorative in the world!" Remus said at once, as if he just couldn't stop himself. "If you've been transfigured or cursed, it cures you back to your original state."

"Thank you Professor," Sirius said with a grin.

"Sorry," he mutter, "I just couldn't help myself."

**To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air.**

"Of course it was," Tonks declared.

**"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."**

"Wow, she sounded just like you, Remus!" Sirius told him laughing.

Remus turned red.

**"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"**

Sirius looked up at Remus who had opened his mouth, without a doubt about to give the answer, but when he saw the look on Sirius's face, he closed it and refused to say a thing.

Looking disappointed, Sirius went on.

**Hermione's hand narrowly missed Harry's glasses as it shot up again.**

**"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said promptly.**

**"Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."**

**She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. They looked quite unremarkable to Harry, who didn't have the slightest idea what Hermione meant by**** the "cry" of the Mandrake.**

**"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.**

**There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.**

"What's wrong with pink?" demanded Tonks indigently.

"Nothing," Remus said. "It looks great on you, but I don't think that pink is everybody's color."

Tonks blushed slightly at the compliment before declaring, "Well, they don't know what they're missing."

Sirius caught Remus's eye before slightly gesturing his head over at Tonks and winking. Remus felt his cheeks turned red, but didn't dare say anything. He just gave Sirius an unkind glare before turning away.

Sirius resisted the urge to laugh at his friend's expense. When he first introduced Moony to his cousin, he could see the sparks right away. Remus smiled just a little bit brighter whenever she was around, and his eyes brightened whenever he spoke to her… but the problem was that he didn't think that even Remus noticed it just yet. And if he did, there was no way that the werewolf was going to let it happen.

Remus always told them that there was no chance in hell that he could fall in love and get married. He was always a little too aware of his _'furry little problem'_ for him to ever consider true happiness. But Sirius was hoping that his time with Tonks would make him second-think all that.

He just gave his cousin a grin—which she returned, though looking slightly confused—before reading again.

**"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right — earmuffs on."**

**Harry snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.**

**Harry let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear.**

"Ugly little buggers aren't they?" Sirius stated out loud.

**Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.**

**Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.**

**"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. **

"Well to her it most likely is," Remus said.

**"However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work.**

"Oh, that would've been the perfect excuse to get out of classes," Sirius groaned. "Sorry, I was late for class Professor McGonagall, but we did Mandrakes today and I didn't have my earmuffs on tight enough and I was out cold for the rest of the day."

"That wouldn't stop her from giving you extra homework though," Arthur told him smiling.

Sirius thought that over for a second, "Fair point. Oh, well. Can't miss what you never tried."

**I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.**

**"Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venemous Tentacula, it's teething."**

**She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.**

"I always hated those things," Tonks said winkling her nose. "They always freaked me out."

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sight but had never spoken to.**

**"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking Harry by the hand. "Know who you are, of course, the famous Harry Potter… And you're Hermione Granger — always top in everything" (Hermione beamed as she had her hand shaken too) "— and Ron Weasley. Wasn't that your flying car?"**

"I might be going out on a limb here," Moody said brusquely, "But I don't think that's something that he wanted to be reminded of."

**Ron didn't smile. The Howler was obviously still on his mind.**

**"That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" said Justin happily as they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. **

"What?" Sirius cried. "Another member of the Lockhart fan club? And it's a boy this time? Come on… a girl I can understand being one of pretty boy's fans but a guy?"

"If you don't stop interrupting then maybe we can get to the good stuff a little quicker!" Moody barked at him.

**"Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and — zap — just fantastic.**

"I seriously doubt that!" Sirius said. "There is no way that you can outrun a werewolf like that! And even if he could, he would've just wet his pants if it really did happen to him. That idiot cried when he just got his robes wrinkled at school remember, Moony?"

"Yeah," Remus sighed.

Noticing his tone, Arthur said, "Don't worry Remus, we all know that not all werewolves are bad."

He gave him a grateful smile but still seemed to be gloomy.

**"My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family…"**

**After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't.**

"Yeah, it's what she does best," Tonks said proudly.

**The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Harry spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.**

**By the end of the class, Harry, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration.**

**Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but today was especially difficult. Everything Harry had learned last year seemed to have leaked out of his head during the summer. He was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, but all he managed to do was give his beetle a lot of exercise as it scuttled over the desktop avoiding his wand.**

**Ron was having far worse problems. He had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for a new one. Professor McGonagall wasn't pleased.**

"Don't see why she should've been," Molly said.

**Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell. His brain felt like a wrung sponge.**

"It always does on the first day back," Sirius said to himself.

**Everyone filed out of the classroom except him and Ron, who was whacking his wand furiously on the desk.**

**"Stupid — useless — thing —"**

"Why didn't he write back for another one?" Molly asked confused.

"He must've been afraid that you would send another Howler back if he did," Tonks said wisely.

**"Write home for another one," Harry suggested as the wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker.**

**"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back," said Ron, stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag.**

The women blinked in surprise and smiled.

**"'It's your own fault your wand got snapped — '"**

**They went down to lunch, where Ron's mood was not improved by Hermione's showing them the handful of perfect coat buttons she had produced in Transfiguration.**

**"What've we got this afternoon?" said Harry, hastily changing the subject.**

**"Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once.**

"Great, now we get to see how his classes are," Moody said leaning back in his chair. "Good, I've been wanting to see how he misses this up."

**"Why," demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"**

"No," Sirius chuckled. "You have to be kidding me. Please tell me that Hermione didn't have a crush on that idiot."

"Be nice," Arthur laughed, "Even a smart kid can fall for a pretty face."

**Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously.**

They all started to laugh at that, kids and their crushes were just so cute.

**They finished lunch and went outside into the overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in Voyages with Vampires again. Harry and Ron stood talking about Quidditch for several minutes before Harry became aware that he was being closely watched. Looking up, he saw the very small, mousy-haired boy he'd seen trying on the Sorting Hat last night staring at Harry as though transfixed. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Harry looked at him, he went bright red.**

"Here we go," Remus said with a sigh. "Yet another Harry Potter fan."

"He's famous," Sirius said dully. "He better get used to it."

**"All right, Harry? I'm — I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, **

"Ah… Colin," Remus said.

"You taught him?" Arthur asked.

"Yep."

"What's he like?" Molly asked curious.

Remus laughed, "He's ah… very enthusiastic about magic. Very hard trait to find these days. He gets excited over every little thing that's magical. But he's a good kid. He's a good student, works very hard."

** taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think — would it be all right if — can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.**

Sirius felt guilt eating away at him once again. He knew that his godson was pretty much an icon to the rest of the wizarding world, as the little hero who saved them from Voldemort… These days he's a laughing stock and is marked as the persistent liar and mentally unstable.

He bit his lower lip. Anybody with half a brain could see that Harry hated the fame that came with that scar. Harry was stuck with these fair-weather fans that loved him when he saved the day, but mocked and looked down on him when things were bad. And now here was another person trailing after the famous 'Boy-Who-Lived'.

Damn it, why did he have to be such an idiot that day? Why couldn't he see that it was Wormtail who was the spy…?

**"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.**

"Poor thing," Tonks said ironically. "He's led such a sheltered life."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Moody spat. "He was sheltered from his fame… but hardly from those lousy Muggles."

"Hear, here," Arthur said as he started to look angry again.

**"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (his eyes raked Harry's hairline) "and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move." Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" — he looked imploringly at Harry — "maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"**

Sirius gasped for breath while everyone stared at him.

"That kid said all of that in one breath?" Tonks said stunned.

"Yes," Remus told her. "Whenever I asked a question when he was in class, he always went into these long talks and halfway through he forgets the question."

"Cute," Molly sighed.

**"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"**

"Please, don't tell me that's Malfoy," Tonks said in disgust.

"It isn't," Sirius said.

"Really?" Tonks said a little more cheerful.

"No, it really is," Sirius said and her face fell.

"Then why did you lie to me?" she snapped.

"You were the one who said not to tell you," he snapped back.

**Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"**

"Funny, I bet that people would've done that if Potter was giving out photos," Moody said with his eyebrows raised.

**"No, I'm not," said Harry angrily, his fists clenching. "Shut up, Malfoy."**

**"You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.**

"He's got a lot of guts, but he's going to get himself killed if he's not careful," said Arthur.

**"Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."**

"Anyone with eyes could see that he's jealous," Tonks said rolling her eyes. "He's jealous of all the attention that Harry gets."

"Not that he asks for it!" Sirius said stubbornly.

**Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.**

**"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way.**

**"Be careful, Weasley," sneered Malfoy. "You don't want to start any trouble or your Mommy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "'If you put another toe out of line'—"**

**A knot of Slytherin fifth-years nearby laughed loudly at this.**

**"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house —"**

Everyone frowned at the book.

"That kid really needs to be taught some manners," Molly snarled.

"Doesn't this kid come up with any new insults?" Arthur said aggravated. "He just uses the same old material over and over again."

"He doesn't need to come up with anything new," Sirius growled. "These three lose their tempers when he just enters a room."

**Ron whipped out his Spellotaped wand, but Hermione shut Voyages with Vampires with a snap and whispered, "Look out!"**

**"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"**

"Wonderful!" Sirius yelled out mockingly. "Now the world's biggest prat will think that Harry was giving out autographs!"

"Why doesn't Lockhart stop sticking his nose in other people's business?" Remus said really losing his famous patience.

**Harry started to speak but he was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around his shoulders and thundered jovially, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!"**

**Pinned to Lockhart's side and burning with humiliation, Harry saw Malfoy slide smirking back into the crowd.**

"Why is he doing this to Harry?" Sirius demanded, gripping the book even harder.

"He's trying to increase his own fame by humiliating Potter," Moody said simply.

"What a jerk," Tonks said.

**"Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."**

"I don't think that Colin wants them both," Sirius snarled. "Having Lockhart in there would just ruin the picture."

**Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon classes.**

**"Off you go, move along there," Lockhart called to the crowd, and he set off back to the castle with Harry, who was wishing he knew a good Vanishing Spell, still clasped to his side.**

**"A word to the wise, Harry," said Lockhart paternally **

Sirius had finally snapped, "HE'S NOT HARRY'S FATHER! HE BETTER STAY AWAY FROM HIM IF HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOOD FOR HIM! TO ACTUALLY THINK THAT HE COULD TELL HARRY…"

"Sirius calm down!" Arthur said anxiously as Sirius was threatening to throw the already tattered book.

"Not until I find Lockhart and give him a hard kick up the…"

"Sirius!" Remus told him with a hand on his shoulder, "It's ok! Harry knows all that, and even if he didn't, I highly doubt that he would be looking to Lockhart for a parental figure."

It took them all a little while for Sirius to calm down. Sirius was breathing hard. He wanted to get this chapter over with. Listening to Lockhart was getting him angrier and angrier with every page. He went on with a harsh voice just a little bit faster and louder than normal.

**"A word to the wise, Harry," said Lockhart paternally **(Sirius's eye twitched slightly at that word.) **as they entered the building through a side door. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey — if he was photographing me, too, your schoolmates won't think you're setting yourself up so much…"**

Arthur's jaw dropped as Tonks yelled out, "Covered up? Covered what up? He humiliated him in front of everyone!"

**Deaf to Harry's stammers, Lockhart swept him down a corridor lined with staring students and up a staircase.**

**"Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible **

"Career? What career is he talking about?!" Sirius cried out. "He was only twelve and trying to get through school without being killed!"

**— looks a tad bigheaded, Harry, to be frank. **

"How is it that _Harry_ seems bigheaded?" Molly said furiously.

"If there's anyone out there with a big head it's Lockhart!" Tonks said. "If it gets any bigger then he'll get it stuck in the front door!"

**There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but" — he gave a little chortle — "I don't think you're quite there yet."**

"He keeps a stack of pictures of himself wherever he goes?" Remus repeated.

"I think that it might've been easier for him to carry than a mirror," Moody said calmly.

**They had reached Lockhart's classroom and he let Harry go at last. Harry yanked his robes straight and headed for a seat at the very back of the class, where he busied himself with piling all seven of Lockhart's books in front of him, so that he could avoid looking at the real thing.**

"I can't say that I blame him there," Sirius said. "At least he forced himself to go to class… I would've just skipped it after all that."

**The rest of the class came clattering in, and Ron and Hermione sat down on either side of Harry.**

**"You could've fried an egg on your face" said Ron. "You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club."**

Sirius started to laugh. Really, these books were doing a number on his nerves. One minute he was happy and proud, the next he was angry and ready to break something, and then the next second he was happy… only to be brought down with worry. He didn't know how much more he could take.

**"Shut up," snapped Harry. The last thing he needed was for Lockhart to hear the phrase "Harry Potter fan club."**

Everyone started talking and laughing at those last few lines. Which Molly was able to use as an excuse to go and make some tea for everyone. She asked them to wait for her while she gathered up the teacups and laid a few biscuits on a plate for them.

_*Meanwhile, in the Fortress of Solitude… I mean, up at the school*_

While the students were all in the Great Hall, enjoying lunch—Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were sitting in their chairs with large plates of food sitting in front of them. But for some reason, none of them were particularly hungry.

Minerva kept glancing over at Umbridge with a look that clearly said that she longed to wrap her fingers around the toad's throat. Severus kept glancing up at the Gryffindor table every few minutes before glancing back at his plate—looking lost in thought. Dumbledore didn't even touch his plate, looking around the room as if he was only seeing it for the first time.

Their actions didn't go unnoticed.

_*Dumbledore*_

Dolores Umbridge leaned her head in to Dumbledore and asked in that obnoxious girly voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "Is there something the matter, Dumbledore?" she asked in a tone that clearly wanted to hear something juicy.

"Nothing that you would be interested in," he said simply. "I've just been reading a very depressing book all afternoon and I'm just not hungry."

She frowned, disappointed but then brightened as she asked, "What kind of book are we talking about?"

He forced a smile, which felt very painful because it aimed at her. "I found it in a Muggle shop a while back and I haven't had the chance to read it yet. I finally started on it the other day… and I must say that the main characters have the worst luck out of everyone I know." Knowing how to get her off his back he asked her, "Would you care in reading it?"

She looked like she rather swallow a mouthful of nails. But she smiled a toad-like smile and said, "No thank you. You just seem so depressed today—I just thought that it was because you were up to something or…"

"I can assure you that it is the furthest thing from my mind," Albus told her. "I mean it; I've just been reading a book that's been making me… er… rethink things through."

Again, she looked disappointed. But she didn't say anything and just got up and left to wander between the House tables like she always did and try to find someone misbehaving.

He turned his head away and started talking with Professor Spout about the weather. But in reality, his heart just wasn't in it. He kept thinking about Harry and just how much the boy had to suffer through just because of him and his stupid plan. At the moment, it just didn't seem to be worth it anymore. He glanced up at the Gryffindor table to see the trio all talking to each other in low voices, obviously up to something.

He watched Harry out of the corner of his eyes for a short time until he saw him get up and leave the table with Ron and Hermione. He watched them like a hawk until they were out of his sight before he nodded and pretended to listen to what Pomona had to say about the matter of the recent breakout of Azkaban.

_*Minerva*_

Minerva had been keep a close eye on that toad every since she got back. Since the castle was still in one piece, it meant that nothing had happened while they had been away. She watched as the toad, (She refused to call her by her name unless she was forced to) talk to Dumbledore with that ugly smile on her face. It was that smile that really got to her… she longed to pull out her wand and turn her into a toad herself before releasing her into the forest.

She was afraid of what that toad could do to this place if she was allowed anymore power. Her and her medieval teaching methods were really starting to take their toll—and it was the students who were suffering because of her. She was strutting around the school as if she owned the place, punishing kids who didn't even do anything… though she knew that she kept giving Slytherin house awards and praises for bullying the other students. Not that she would ever admit to it.

And the worst part was if someone tried to do something about her, then she'll find a way to get herself out of it. And she'll come down harder on the school when she does to make up for it.

She watched as the toad walked up and down the tables, muttering to the students—most likely threats or insults before they both looked up in time to see the trio leaving the Great Hall in a hurry.

Minerva did not like the way that their _'High Inquisitor'_ was watching them… like the toad watching a huge black fly…

After reading those books Minerva was starting to see things in a completely new light. Those books were causing her to see things from new perspectives—from other points of view… she was beginning to see more than she ever saw before… and she didn't like what she did see.

_*Severus*_

This was eating away at him. Why in the hell, couldn't Potter leave him in peace? Until just a few days ago, he was sure that the boy was just like his father—besides just in looks. But the further in he read into those novels he was finally starting to see someone who wasn't like James Potter. He could see someone who wasn't just like Lily had been… but also himself.

This was torture. He looked up to the Gryffindor table to see the boy sitting there with his two sidekicks on either side of them. All three of them looking pale and tired as though they didn't get any sleep last night; but he also saw them all muttering with their heads close together over a newspaper. He briefly wondered what they were all talking about before they stood up and got ready to leave. He looked back down at his food, but found that he just couldn't eat anything.

He thought back to his own school days, the days when he had to deal with Potter and his little gang of trouble-makers. James Potter's favorite hobby was to torment and humiliate him—especially whenever Lily was around. And now when the Potter brat had entered Hogwarts, bearing Lily's eyes but looking just like his father… he was positive that he was dealing with James's clone.

But no… he could see for perhaps the first time the little, mistreated boy from the cupboard. Maybe… just maybe… he had been wrong the whole time. The boy didn't seem to strut or brag like his father used to… he seemed quieter—more polite than James Potter could ever hope to be. Maybe this child inherited more than just his eyes from Lily…

He watched as Harry Potter left the room, and Severus Snape thought that it might be worth it to observe Lily's child in a new way besides just James Potter's spawn.

_*Back at Grimmauld Place*_

Once they were all finished with their tea, Sirius wiped his mouth before picking up the book and asked, "Everyone ready to hear what that idiot has to teach our kids?"

"It better be good," Arthur said in a warning voice.

**When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.**

"Why am I not surprised that the first thing he starts off with in his first class is himself?" Moody asked in disgust.

**"Me," he said, **

"Yes, I think they know who you are by now," Sirius said to the book with a sigh. "You've been talking about yourself every time you open your mouth."

**pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, **

"This guy can't be serious?" Remus asked. Who in their right mind would put this guy up as a teacher or a member of the Defense League?

"No, I'm Sirius," Sirius stated.

"Sirius," Tonks said annoyed, "For a joke to get old, it has to be funny in the first place."

**and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. **

"He just did!" Sirius said exasperated.

"Don't talk about… that's the only thing he has talked about the whole book!" Arthur cried.

**I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"**

**He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.**

**"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done. **

"Because you made them!" Tonks yelled out.

**I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"**

"A quiz on his books?" Sirius said horrified.

"That means that Granger is the only one who's going to pass," Moody spoke.

**When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start —now!"**

**Harry looked down at his paper and read:**

Sirius stopped talking and stared at the next few words, "This can't… this can't be right. Oh, you have to really be kidding me."

"What is it?" Molly asked concerned.

"Listen to this… this is the 'quiz'," he made air quotes around the word quiz before reading out.

**1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?**

They stared at him.

"There is no way," Remus said, leaning over to get a better look.

"I'm not lying!" Sirius said as he held the book out to him. "See? And look at what question 2 says!"

Remus then read out, **2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?**

Tonks let out a strangled laugh. "Oh, my God… who thinks that they're that important?"

"It just keeps getting worse," Remus said as he read out question 3.

**3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?**

"What?" Molly demanded in indignation. Lockhart had them buy all those expensive books for this? "He's teaching them about himself?"

"He thinks the whole world revolves around his big head," Sirius spat as he was fighting hard not to laugh. "I know his head is definitely big enough… but come on…"

**On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:**

**54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?**

"What does any of this have to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Remus yelled out. He took his teaching very seriously and to hear what this sad excuse for a teacher was teaching kids—it made him sick. No wonder his students were so far behind when he went to go and teach.

**Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.**

"What a waste of time and parchment," Tonks shook her head.

**"Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. **

"Lilac? What man in their right mind has Lilac as their favorite color?" Moody exclaimed.

"This just proves that he's nuts!" Tonks said in agreement.

**I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples **

"Why do I highly doubt that?" Sirius affirmed.

— **though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"**

"Yes, that sounds more like the Lockhart that we've been hearing about," Arthur said grumpily.

**He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; **

"I would be too," Sirius said.

**Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.**

**"… but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions — good girl! In fact" — he flipped her paper over — "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"**

"Full marks?" Sirius repeated in revulsion. "I'm starting to think she really did shallow the textbook if she could remember all that information about that idiot!"

**Hermione raised a trembling hand.**

**"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so — to business —"**

**He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.**

**"Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room.**

"Are you telling me that he finally starts acting like a real teacher?" Moody asked like he couldn't believe his ears.

**Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."**

**In spite of himself, Harry leaned around his pile of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.**

"What is it?" Tonks asked interested.

**"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."**

"This should be good," Arthur said as his wife held her breath in anticipation.

**As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.**

**"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."**

A moment of silence followed these words as everyone stared at the book in disbelief. Remus repeated with repugnance, "Did he just say _Cornish pixies_?"

"No, he said _freshly caught_ Cornish pixies," Sirius corrected him, as he tried to digest all this.

"Dangerous?" Tonks said incredulously. "I mean, I wouldn't want one loose in my house, but come on…"

**Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.**

"That's what I would've done," Sirius said as he also let out a snort of laughter.

**"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.**

**"Well, they're not — they're not very —dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.**

"Exactly!" Tonks called out. "Some gets it!"

**"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"**

"Tricky, yes… dangerous… not so much," Moody said as his magical eye rolled around in his head.

**The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.**

"**Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.**

"He did not," Molly cried incredulity. "Those things are home wreakers! They're going to tear the classroom apart!"

"He didn't even tell them how to deal with them?" Remus said in astonishment. "How are they supposed to know what to do if he didn't tell them?"

**It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. **

**Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.**

"Well at least they know how to have a good party," Sirius said calmly. That was too much for Tonks, she fell off the couch and started to hammer the floor as she laughed. It took a few minutes for her to calm down enough for her to sit back in her seat and hiccupped her way to silence.

"**Come on now — round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted.**

"They why don't you do something then?" Molly said in a loud voice, everyone kept forgetting that they were talking to a book.

**He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"**

"What kind of spell is that?" Arthur asked amazed, but not in a good way. "That's can't be a real spell!

"That's because it isn't," Moody told him coolly.

**It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too.**

They all burst out laughing, at Lockhart's stupidity. "That's too bad," Sirius said as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "If only they flew Lockhart out with it."

"Sounds like the pixies are better teachers than Lockhart," Moody said with a curt laugh, "Not that I'm surprised."

**Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way.**

"What kind of teacher is supposed to act like that?" Molly said furious.

**The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.**

"He left three second-year students… the students that he was supposed to be teaching, to fix his mess?" said Molly cried out incredulously. If she had any respect at all left for Lockhart, then that had quickly vanished.

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Arthur. "Why is he asking them to deal with pixies when he can't even handle them himself? What kind of teacher leaves the students to clean up their mess?"

"A bad one," Sirius spat.

**"Can you believe him?" roared Ron **

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Ron," Tonks said nodding in agreement as she smacked the table.

**as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.**

**"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.**

"Three second-years can deal with the same pixies that a full grown wizard—who's supposed to be the teacher—can't even get the right spell. Maybe they should've fired Lockhart right then and there," Moody observed. "And then hired those three to teach instead."

**"Hands on?" said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. "Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing —"**

**"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books — look at all those amazing things he's done —"**

**"He _says_ he's done," Ron muttered.**

"I'm with Ron on this one," Sirius nodded as he closed the book and shut his eyes as he stretched his arms. "Well, that was definitely an exciting first day."

"All and all, it could've gone better," Remus said as he took up the book. "If nobody minds, I'll be happy to read next."

No one objected, but then Tonks asked a question. "I just want to know something."

"What?"

"Well…" she said slowly, "I've been wondering about this for awhile. I know that there is no chance that Lockhart could've done all those things he said he did in his books. But these books do seem to be really convincing—especially if all these wizards keep buying them."

"Your point?" Mad-Eye asked exasperated.

"Well, if he really didn't then do them, why does everyone believe them?" she said at last. "I think that these events did really happen, but it was somebody else who did them and—I dunno… he's just taking all the credit for it. At least that's what I picked up from him." She finished speaking with a shrug.

"You really think that?" Remus asked her. "To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised… but if that's true then how come nobody's come forward and complained about them?"

She shrugged again. "Maybe he paid them a lot of money… or threatened them?"

"That sounds like something a Malfoy would do," Sirius interrupted. "No, I bet that he did a Memory Charm. I mean… I remember him showing everyone his Outstanding in Charms when he took his O.W.L.'s. Granted, that was his **only** Outstanding."

"Well, we won't know for sure unless you start reading, Lupin," Moody said brusquely.

Remus blinked in confusion for a second before he said, "Oh, right." He opened the book to the next chapter and read the chapter name to himself for a moment. His face hardened in repulsion.

"Remus?" Molly asked as she noticed the look. "What is it?"

"Something tells me that we're not going to like this next chapter," he told her.

"Why?" Arthur asked curious.

"I swear," Sirius threatened, "If this has Lockhart's name in it too, then I'm out of here."

"No," Remus said coldly. "But I almost rather wish it did." As they stared at him in both confusion and horror, he groaned as he read out,"**Chapter 7: Mudbloods and Murmurs.**"

**(Hey there. Ok, I don't mean to be rude or anything. I respect your opinions… but to those of you who keep telling me to get rid of Molly and Dumbledore… I'm sorry. But I'm keeping them in this story. I happen to really like these characters. Wait… to those of you who hate these two characters, I can hear what you're thinking! You're thinking, 'But RoseDragonWitch, how can you possibly say all that?' and then you'll go into these really long reasons why these characters are horrible and should be killed. I don't need to hear that thank you. I know that Molly can be a loud bitch and that she should really butt out sometimes—but you need to understand that she does this because she wants to protect her children from the horrors of war. She doesn't want them to get involved unless they absolutely have to. And as for Dumbledore, yes I know that he controls people like their puppets, especially Harry. But I think that he never wanted Harry to suffer needlessly, sheltering him as best he could against the darkness the young man would have to face. So, like I said before, I respect your ideas and your opinions but I would really like it if you could please stop writing to me and asking if I could have them both killed off or have them suffer terrible accidents. Thank you. I just wanted to get that off my chest.)**


	9. Mudbloods and Murmurs

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 7: Mudbloods and Murmurs**

"No," Remus said coldly. "But I almost rather wish it did." As they stared at him in both confusion and horror, he groaned as he read out,"**Chapter 7: Mudbloods and Murmurs.**"

"Why the hell is the chapter called that?" Sirius spat furiously.

"Oh, what a wonderful way to start the next chapter!" Tonks said sarcastically. "We only read the title and I'm already mad!"

"Whoever says that disgusting word should just be hexed so hard that they won't be able to move again!" Sirius snarled.

"Well," Mad-Eye said grouchy. "How much to any of you want to bet that it's Malfoy? Again?"

They all looked at him for a brief second before a look of outrage spread across their faces. "What is wrong with that spoiled brat?"

"He's a Malfoy… there's something wrong with that bloodline," Sirius explained firmly.

Remus merely glanced at the picture of Ron leaning over a cauldron that seemed to have been filled with… slugs? He shook his head, knowing that it was bound to come up in the chapter and started to read.

**Harry spent a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sight whenever he saw Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor. Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized Harry's schedule.**

"I can see that he has the right last name…" Sirius muttered thoughtfully. "Creevey? Sounds like _Creepy_. Appropriate, don't you all think?"

"Yeah, I think that it would be a little creepy after awhile," Molly said with a nod. "Does Harry really have to deal with this all the time?"

"I know that it would drive me crazy in no time," Arthur bowing his head.

**Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, Harry?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, however exasperated Harry sounded when he said it.**

"Potter's just far too polite if you ask me," spoke up Moody.

"Aw, Harry's first stalker," Sirius laughed lightly. "Cute…"

"Actually, I think Colin's his second," Tonks said with her own laugh, "I think Ginny was the first."

"Now be nice," Molly told them.

**Hedwig was still angry with Harry about the disastrous car journey and Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck.**

"Ouch," Arthur said wincing. "That's gotta hurt."

"You did get him a new wand didn't you?" Tonks asked him.

"Yeah, but not until the summer before their third year," Molly told her. "We didn't know that his wand was broken for this long."

**So with one thing and another, Harry was quite glad to reach the weekend. He, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. Harry, however, was shaken awake several hours earlier than he would have liked by Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.**

"QUIDDITCH!" Sirius yelled excitedly and clapping his hands together. "The only sport worth playing!"

"Ok," Remus said rubbing his sensitive ears with a pained expression, "We know that you feel strongly about this, but you don't need to shout."

**"Whassamatter?" said Harry groggily.**

**"Quidditch practice!" said Wood. "Come on!"**

**Harry squinted at the window. There was a thin mist hanging across the pink-and-gold sky. Now that he was awake, he couldn't understand how he could have slept through the racket the birds were making.**

**"Oliver," Harry croaked. "It's the crack of dawn."**

"What?" Molly exclaimed. "It's just a game."

Sirius put a hand over his heart and gasped dramatically. "J-j-just a g-game?" he repeated in horror. "Just stick a knife into my heart why don't you?"

"Drama queen," she said to him with her eyebrows raised, unimpressed.

"The drama part I don't deny…" Sirius told her, "But how dare you call me queen!"

"Why not?" she demanded, "It's better than princess isn't it?"

"Ok, you two," Arthur said with his hands raised. "That's enough."

**"Exactly," said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm. "It's part of our new training program. **

"And what's that?" Tonks asked mockingly. "So all your players pass out from lack of sleep?"

**Come on, grab your broom, and let's go," said Wood heartily. "None of the other teams have started training yet; we're going to be first off the mark this year —"**

**Yawning and shivering slightly, Harry climbed out of bed and tried to find his Quidditch robes.**

**"Good man," said Wood. "Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes."**

"Can you say obsessed?" Moody asked.

**When he'd found his scarlet team robes and pulled on his cloak for warmth, Harry scribbled a note to Ron explaining where he'd gone and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, his Nimbus Two Thousand on his shoulder. He had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind him and Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand.**

"Colin? Again?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"How did he know that Harry was leaving?" Sirius asked in surprise.

**"I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you —"**

"That explains it," Arthur said thinking it over.

"Nah, I think the kid's stalking Harry," Moody said.

"Right, now that is creepy," Tonks said shuddering.

"Knock it off," Remus said firmly. "He was just a child."

**Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under his nose.**

**A moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Harry recognized as his own. He was pleased to see that his photographic self was putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As Harry watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, Panting, against the white edge of the picture.**

"Wow," Tonks declared in an impressed voice. "Even Harry's photographic self hates being in a picture."

"Can you blame it?" Moody asked her as if she was dumb. "He's stuck with Lockhart."

**"Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly.**

**"No," said Harry flatly, glancing around to check that the room was really deserted. "Sorry, Colin, I'm in a hurry — Quidditch practice —"**

**He climbed through the portrait hole.**

**"Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!"**

"Man, he just doesn't know when to take a hint or give up does he?" Sirius asked exasperated. "There's a dangerous combo." He then suddenly grinned to himself when he realized that he might have more in common with Creepy Creevey than he thought.

**Colin scrambled through the hole after him.**

**"It'll be really boring," Harry said quickly, but Colin ignored him, his face shining with excitement.**

"What?!" Sirius shouted mortified. "How could you go on with calling Quidditch boring?! Even if he was lying, that's a sin!"

"He was just saying that to get rid of Colin, Sirius," Remus said in a gentle voice. He knew just how seriously his friend took Quidditch—almost as much as James did. "He didn't mean a word of it."

**"You were the youngest House player in a hundred years, weren't you, Harry? Weren't you?" said Colin, trotting alongside him. **

"You bet he was!" exclaimed Sirius proudly.

"What I want to know is who told him all this," Arthur asked.

"I'm willing to bet it was Ginny," Tonks said grinning. "She and Colin are in the same class aren't they?"

"Oh, isn't that sweet?" Molly cooed. "My baby's first crush."

**"You must be brilliant. I've never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is that the best one there is?"**

"In this order… yes, yes, yes, and… no," Sirius answered.

**Harry didn't know how to get rid of him. It was like having an extremely talkative shadow.**

"A very good way to describe him," Arthur laughed. "Because that's what it sounds like."

**"I don't really understand Quidditch," said Colin breathlessly. "Is it true there are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock people off their brooms?"**

**"Yes," said Harry heavily, resigned to explaining the complicated rules of Quidditch. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters."**

The parents of Gred and Forge both smiled and applauded proudly.

**"And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a couple of steps because he was gazing open-mouthed at Harry.**

**"Well, the Quaffle — that's the biggish red one — is the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch — they're three long poles with hoops on the end."**

"I miss playing Quidditch myself," Sirius sighed. He had been stuck in this house for what felt like years. Just a few minutes of fresh air everyday… that's all he was asking for. Just to be able to feel the wind and to forget all his problems—just for a little while—how he longed for it.

**"And the fourth ball —"**

**"— is the Golden Snitch," said Harry, "and it's very small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do, because a game of Quidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whichever team's Seeker gets the Snitch earns his team an extra hundred and fifty points."**

**"And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe.**

"Yes, he is!" Sirius beamed proudly.

"Yes, Sirius," Arthur said patiently. "And I'm sure that you and Harry will have a lot to talk about when you next see him."

**"Yes," said Harry as they left the castle and started across the dew-drenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That's it, really."**

"NO IT ISN'T!" Sirius cried out aghast.

"I told you," Remus said, starting to sound annoyed. "He's just saying that to try and get rid of Colin."

**But Colin didn't stop questioning Harry all the way down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, and Harry only shook him off when he reached the changing rooms; Colin called after him in a piping voice, "I'll go and get a good seat, Harry!" and hurried off to the stands.**

"Oh, just leave the poor guy alone!" Tonks declared. "He's got enough on his plate without an annoying shadow following him everywhere."

"Huh," Moody stated. "You know, Potter's got the patience of a saint to deal with people like this day after day."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "There's no why I could last that long. I would've jinxed the kid long before now."

"You mean to tell me that you—Sirius Black—get tired of attention?" Remus asked with his eyebrows raised.

Sirius shrugged. "I'm just listening to this Creevey kid, and I'm already annoyed with him. And I never even met him!"

Truthfully though, he did begin to wonder… what would he have done if he was in Harry's shoes? What if he was the one who survived a killing curse and forced to grow up like Harry? Though now that he thought about it, he did grow up in a household that wasn't unlike the Durselys—except that it had been the Muggles who were called the monsters. But could he have gone through all that Harry had gone through and still turn out to be as patient and compassionate as Harry did?

Even after all that, he didn't turn friendship and kindness away like Sirius might've… instead, he embraced it as soon as he got the chance. Is this normal? To go through this and still turn out at least half-way decent?

Just how did Harry do it?

**The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the changing room. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George Weasley were sitting, puffy-eyed and tousle haired, next to fourth year Alicia Spinnet, who seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Her fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side opposite them.**

**"There you are, Harry, what kept you?" said Wood briskly. **

"Nothing much," Tonks said conversationally. "Just being followed by a very talkative stalker."

**"Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference…"**

**Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different colored inks. He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred Weasley's head drooped right onto Alicia Spinnet's shoulder and he began to snore.**

"I hope not," Molly muttered disapprovingly to herself.

**The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and a third under that one. Harry sank into a stupor as Wood droned on and on.**

Some of them actually started to yawn, just listening to this.

**"So," said Wood, at long last, jerking Harry from a wistful fantasy about what he could be eating for breakfast at this very moment up at the castle. "Is that clear? Any questions?"**

"I got one," Sirius suggested. "Why did he have to wake them up at some unearthly hour in the morning just to lecture them?"

Remus laughed as he read the next line.

**"I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"**

"Have I ever mentioned," Sirius said to Molly and Arthur, "That I love these two?"

"It's hard not to," Molly said smiling. Yes, her twins certainly made it hard not to like them despite all the trouble they got into.

**Wood wasn't pleased.**

**"Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately — owing to circumstances beyond our control —"**

Sirius flinched at the reminder of what happened the year before, knowing just how close he had come to losing his godson before he ever had a chance to meet him… he felt as if a cold hand was squeezing his insides at that thought.

**Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. He had been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match of the previous year, meaning that Gryffindor had been a player short and had suffered their worst defeat in three hundred years.**

"Hey, it's not Harry's fault!" Sirius exclaimed. "He was stuck in the hospital during the last match because he was busy fighting Voldemort!"

"He didn't say that it was Harry's fault," Arthur pointed out.

"From what I learned from Wood while I was still teaching," Remus told them, "That doesn't mean that he doesn't privately blame Harry. He takes his Quidditch seriously."

**Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him.**

**"So this year, we train harder than ever before… Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team followed.**

"I bet they love this," Sirius smirked. "Getting up early, listening to a lecture, and now being put to work… huh, sounds like school."

"Quidditch isn't always fun, Sirius," Arthur told him. "A lot of hard work goes into it as well."

**They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Harry walked onto the field, he saw Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands.**

**"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.**

"Nope," Tonks said making a popping sound. "They just got out on the field."

**"Haven't even started," said Harry, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall. "Wood's been teaching us new moves."**

**He mounted his broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped his face, waking him far more effectively than Wood's long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on the Quidditch field. He soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George.**

"Oh, he's so lucky," Sirius groaned as he remembered the wonderful feeling of flying. How he missed it.

**"What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around the corner.**

**Harry looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.**

"Of course," Remus muttered with a smile. "I had a feeling that he would be doing that."

"He just doesn't stop does he?" Molly asked shaking her head.

"That would get irritating," Tonks stated.

**"Look this way, Harry! This way!" he cried shrilly.**

**"Who's that?" said Fred.**

**"No idea," Harry lied, putting on a spurt of speed that took him as far away as possible from Colin.**

"I can't tell who's more annoying at this point," Mad-Eye said. "Do you think its Creevey or Lockhart?"

"Hard to tell," Remus said politely. "At least, Colin doesn't go around bragging about himself."

"True," Arthur agreed. "I say that Lockhart wins hands down."

**"What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."**

"Slytherin… spy? Really? Not that I would put it pass them," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "But come on… they wouldn't be up that early just to spy on the Gryffindors."

**"He's in Gryffindor," said Harry quickly.**

**"And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.**

"Why would he say that?" Tonks asked taken aback.

**"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.**

**"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing.**

"Oh, great," Sirius cried sarcastically. "Just what the hell are they up to now?"

"Causing trouble of course," Mad-Eye growled in a 'duh' tone.

**Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands.**

**"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!"**

**Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted.**

"Oh, this is going to be good," Sirius said, hoping for a fight.

**Harry, Fred, and George followed.**

**"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"**

**Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face **

"Did you just say _Trollish_ _cunning_?" Molly repeated uncertainly.

"Trolls don't have any cunning," Sirius said obviously. "Their brains are the size of peas!"

"I think that's the point," Remus said slowly and carefully as if he thought that Sirius was dim.

"Don't you take that tone with me!" Sirius said, but he was smiling. He just couldn't bring himself to be angry with Remus.

**as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."**

"Ah, you're kidding right?" Sirius said incredulously. "Teams shouldn't practice with each other. Especially if it's Gryffindor and Slytherin… it would end with someone getting killed."

"I can't disagree with you there," Moody said calmly. "Though I think that it would end with bloodshed rather than death."

"You really are enjoying that idea to much, Mad-Eye," Tonks pointed out cheerfully.

**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.**

"Probably doesn't think that girls are good enough to be on their team," Tonks spat angrily. Sure, she wasn't the most graceful creature on earth, but she could still kick all of their butts any day of the week.

**"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"**

"I don't think throwing a fit would be the best way to get what you want, or strike fear into the hearts of your enemies," Sirius said with sarcasm. "Just punch him already!"

**"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. "**

"Teachers can't do that!" Remus said loudly. "When the teams practice, it's their own responsibility! The only people who can specially reserve the field for a team are either Dumbledore or Madam Hooch."

"What do you expect from a git like Snape?" Sirius said under his breath. Now, he was trying—really trying hard to leave the past behind… to forgive and forget—which was saying more than what Snape was doing. But it was getting very difficult the more he read about him.

**"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"**

"Oh, no…" Tonks groaned with a hand over her eyes. "Don't tell me it's… they can't be serious…"

"Actually," Sirius began jokingly. "I'm…"

"Don't you dare say it!" Tonks yelled at him, causing a few chuckles from around the room.

**And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.**

They all stared at the book in disbelief.

"Malfoy?" Sirius repeated in horror. "You're telling me that he actually _knows_ how to fly?"

"Yes," Remus answered with a moan.

"Is he any good?" Arthur asked Remus, knowing that the werewolf had seen the Slytherins play.

"Nothing special," Remus admitted, remembering how the boy flew when he watched them play just two years ago.

"They why is he on the team?" Tonks demanded.

"I bet that he bribed his way in," Mad-Eye spoke up. "Or rather, daddy had to pay them to take him in."

**"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.**

"Unfortunately," Arthur hissed.

**"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."**

"You were right, Moody," Remus said in disgust. "He paid them to let him join."

"Just when I thought that he couldn't get anymore pathetic," Sirius grumbled.

**All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.**

"He actually _bought_ his way onto the team," Molly said shaking her head. "What would be the point in that if you can't play?"

"What else would you expect from a Malfoy?" Arthur snarled in hatred. "That's the only way he could've gotten onto the team without any work. Instead of practicing and working hard at it and then getting in because he earned it, he let his money do the job for him. He has no real skill so, unlike the Gryffindor team who all got on by pure talent, he had to buy his way."

"But even if they're the best brooms in the world," Tonks said quickly. "It's just ridiculous to let a useless, spoiled brat play the most important position on the team!"

"Well," Sirius said with a shrug, "Slytherins aren't actually known for being the smartest blokes around are they? They're ambitious and cunning, yes. But with commonsense and brains… not so much. If they were, then their symbol would've been the eagle, not a snake."

**"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount.**

"So maybe… they have better brooms," Arthur said in annoyance. "Gryffindor can still take them on and win."

"You can say that again," Sirius agreed fiercely.

**As for the old Cleansweeps-" he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives "-sweeps the board with them."**

"Remind me to buy the twins new brooms next Christmas, will you Moony?" Sirius whispered to his friend so that no one else could hear.

Remus nodded and whispered back, "I would love to see the looks on their faces."

**None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.**

**"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."**

**Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on.**

**"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"**

"Oh, just causing trouble," Remus sighed knowingly.

**He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.**

**"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."**

"It's a bribe!" Sirius yelled out. "It's nothing to be proud of! You might have just told them, _'I'm such a hopeless player that I had to cheat my way in!'_"

**Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.**

**"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."**

Sirius bit his lower lip and screamed out, "Oh, please… let me go to the school and teach Malfoy a lesson he won't soon forget!"

"Maybe someday," Remus told him soothingly. "But for now, just say here and listen."

**The Slytherin team howled with laughter.**

**"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."**

"You go girl!" Tonks cried out eagerly. "You tell them!"

"Yeah," Sirius rooted. "Show them that Slytherins aren't as high and mighty as they think! Knock them down a peg or two."

But their proud expressions didn't last long. Because what Remus read next wiped the smiles off their faces.

**The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.**

**"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.**

Remus stopped reading at once as pandemonium broke out and he began shaking in anger.

"WHAT!" Sirius exploded at the same time. He leapt up and started to yell and call Malfoy everything he could think of at the top of his lungs. Molly had furious tears in her eyes as Arthur looked like he was forced to swallow something unpleasant. Tonks was biting her lips, clearly trying hard not to scream out what she was thinking like Sirius was doing.

It took at least ten minutes for them all to calm down enough for Remus to read, though he felt that he was being force to continue with someone pointing a wand at his head.

**Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!" and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.**

**A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.**

"Now what?!" Molly yelled anxiously. "What happened? Is he alright?!"

"Ron tried to curse him with a broken wand?" Sirius asked torn between laughter and horror. If it was anyone else then he might've laughed himself sick.

**"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.**

**Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.**

_'Well, that explains the picture of the slugs,'_ Remus thought to himself. One moment of silence passed. And then Tonks cried out, "Eeeeewwwwwwwww!"

"Tonks," Sirius said slowly as he started to look slightly green, "You took the words right out of my mouth."

"He's alright though isn't he?" Molly repeated.

"Even if he wasn't," Moody growled. "He's fine now."

She gave him a nastily look before looking back to Remus and the book.

**The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.**

"I don't blame them," Remus said, but he was sympathetic.

**"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms.**

"Only your true friends would come forward and help you when you're spitting up slugs," Sirius said with a grin.

**"What happened, Harry? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field.** **Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front.**

**"Oooh," said Colin, fascinated and raising his camera. "Can you hold him still, Harry?"**

Sirius couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"That's nothing to laugh about!" Molly yelled at him.

"You can't admit that it's not funny!" he said.

"How would you feel if it happened to you?" she demanded.

"But it didn't!"

"That doesn't mean…"

"Enough!" Mad-Eye yelled finally having enough. "Can you both shut up and keep going? I have a short attention span and you're boring me!"

Remus felt that it would be safest for all of them if he just went on and hoped that they would forget about trying to kill each other.

**"Get out of the way, Colin!" said Harry angrily. He and Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.**

**"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute - almost there -"**

**They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out.**

"Oh, not him again!" Remus cried out exasperated. "How does that idiot manage to turn up everywhere Harry is or going?"

"He's everywhere!" Tonks exclaimed to no one in particular. "I'm guessing that he must've been trying to tell Hagrid how to do his job as well."

"That's his only talent," Sirius said in disgust.

"Uh, I hope they don't show Ron to him," Arthur said worriedly. "He just might make things worse."

**"Quick, behind here," Harry hissed, dragging Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed, somewhat reluctantly.**

"Why, Hermione?" Sirius begged. "Why did you have to fall for such an idiot? You can do better than him! You're way too good for him!"

"Yep," Tonks nodded. "Hopefully, this is only a stage that she'll pass quickly."

**"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one - I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.**

"I hate to be the one tell you this," Mad-Eye said. "But not everyone wants to read your books."

"What do you expect from someone who has a block of wood for a brain?" Molly snapped bitterly. The last chapter changed her attitude completely about Lockhart. Even if everything he did in his books were true… then there was no way that he should've left the students he was supposed to be protecting to deal with his mess.

Everyone stared at her impressed.

**Harry waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently.**

**Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.**

**"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me - come in, come in - thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again -"**

"Why did he answer it then?" Sirius asked confused. "If it were me then I would've just pretended that I wasn't there."

"Maybe he was going to offer Lockhart some of his cooking?" Tonks asked hopefully.

Sirius roared with laughter. "Yeah, I wish."

**Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he lowered Ron into a chair.**

"Knowing Hagrid, he's probably seen much worse than someone with slugs coming out of their mouths," Sirius said almost enviously.

**"Better out than in," he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron."**

**"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand -"**

"That wasn't a smart idea," Tonks summarized up and they laughed.

**Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Harry.**

"Ah… I love Fang," Sirius said.

"Yes, we all know that you love all fellow canines," Tonks stated.

**"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Harry asked, scratching Fang's ears.**

"Oh, just trying to tell him how to do his job, I bet," Tonks rolled her eyes. "Please… what would he know about taking care of the grounds? Just trying to brag and show off… to bad Hagrid saw right through it."

"Well, said," Sirius agreed.

**"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."**

"Thank you!" Sirius cried out as if he was preaching and held his hands up to the heavens, "Someone else can see through that sickening act!"

**It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts' teacher, and Harry looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job -"**

"More like the _only_ man for the job," Remus said as he remembered that he was the only one who applied during the next year. And even when he and Sirius were still students themselves, they never had Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that lasted longer than one year. That job was cursed. He met a few people who once told him that it must've just been bad luck.

Bad luck? Please… losing a teacher from the same subject 5 or 6 times in a row was bad luck. Hogwarts was losing teachers for over two decades. Bad luck? He didn't think so.

**"He was the on'y man for the job," said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"**

"I would've cursed him to if I was there," Tonks said fiercely.

**"Malfoy called Hermione something - it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild."**

"That's because it's the worst thing he could've called a Muggle-born!" Sirius snapped back forcefully. "What I wouldn't give to curse that brat so badly that he would have to crawl everywhere for the rest of his life."

**"It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid -"**

**Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged.**

**"He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.**

"He did," they all said in disgust.

**"He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course -"**

"You mean to tell me that we finally found out something that Hermione didn't know?" Tonks asked in shock.

"I'm glad," Molly said sadly. "It would've been a lot worse if she knew what it meant."

"Besides, where would she have found that word?" Remus asked in resentfully. "It's not in any books since most people are civilized and don't use that term."

"Oh, so the Malfoys aren't civilized then?" Sirius asked with a bark of humor. "I'm sure they would've loved to hear that."

**"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born - you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards - like Malfoy's family – **

"And my family," Sirius added unpleasantly. Why oh why, did he have to be born a Black?

**who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin and continued, "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom - he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."**

"That's a little mean," Molly said with a slight frown.

"But from what I heard it's true," Remus said with a chuckle. "But he makes up for that in Herbology."

**"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.**

"Hagrid does know how to make you feel better when you're down," Molly said fondly.

**"It's a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."**

"True," Sirius said. "Most of the Pureblood families are either dead or dying out. In fact, I would think that the wizarding society is hovering on the edge—of not only war, but of complete extinction."

Sirius didn't pay too much attention to the startled looks on the other's faces. But he believed in what he said. Malfoy mocked with an opinion that is undoubtedly picked up from hearing from his rotten father. Thanks to the hatred most pureblood families have towards those outside of their own bloodline, they have developed a hatred like a slow-acting poison, spreading and killing anything it touches.

No one said a word for a few minutes, unsure what to say. But Remus finally cleared his throat and went on in a surprisingly calm voice.

**He retched and ducked out of sight again.**

**"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."**

"I think it would've been worth getting into trouble if it meant he could hex Malfoy," Sirius replied softly. "And anything would've been better than throwing up slugs."

**Harry would have pointed out that trouble didn't come much worse than having slugs pouring out of your mouth, but he couldn't; Hagrid's treacle fudge had cemented his jaws together.**

"He ate some of Hagrid's food?" Tonks cried out in mock horror. "What is he tired of living or something?"

"He didn't eat anything all day," Remus told her. "He must've been hungry enough even for Hagrid's cooking."

**"Harry," said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"**

"Did he just say that?" Arthur said stunned.

"I thought that he knew Harry didn't like all that attention," Tonks spoke in a staggered tone.

**Furious, Harry wrenched his teeth apart.**

"That's quite an accomplishment, if you're eating some of Hagrid's fudge!" Sirius said matter-of-factly.

**"I have not been giving out signed photos," he said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around -"**

**But then he saw that Hagrid was laughing.**

"Was that the best he could come up with?" Remus laughed. "To bad that Hagrid was never too good with telling jokes."

"Man, I should've given him a few tips when I last saw him," Sirius muttered.

**"I'm on'y jokin'," he said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."**

"I'm sure he liked that," Sirius snorted. "It's funny cause it's true."

**"Bet he didn't like that," said Harry, sitting up and rubbing his chin.**

**"Don' think he did," said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. **

"Yeah, but who cares about him?" Tonks asked cheerfully.

**"An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared.**

**"No thanks," said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it."**

"Because of his cooking or because of the slugs?" Arthur asked to the room.

"If I had to guess, I would say both," Sirius chortled. "Yummy… who wouldn't want to try out some slimly, _Treacle Slugs_?"

**"Come an' see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as Harry and Hermione finished the last of their tea.**

**In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Harry had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder.**

**"Gettin' on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast… should be big enough by then."**

"Halloween? Already?" Sirius said slightly taken aback. "Wow, time seems to be flying by fast in these books."

"It would go a lot faster if you would stop interrupting!" Moody snapped, irritated.

**"What've you been feeding them?" said Harry.**

**Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone.**

**"Well, I've bin givin' them - you know - a bit o' help -"**

"He didn't…?" Molly asked slowly.

"Oh, I think he did," Sirius said gleefully.

**Harry noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Harry had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, he had the strong impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside it.**

**Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Harry had never found out why - any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed.**

"You know, I've always wondered how he got expelled," Remus said thoughtfully.

"Must've had something to do with one of his pets," Sirius said wisely.

"I'd believe that," Tonks said. It must've been bad if he got expelled because of it though.

**"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement.**

"That's because it is funny!" Sirius cried out happily.

**"Well, you've done a good job on them."**

**"That's what yer little sister said," said Hagrid, nodding at Ron. "Met her jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house."**

Molly and Arthur both sighed as they looked at each other. They knew why Ginny was there… of all the possible people it had to be, why did it have to be Ginny? After hearing this, their loathing for the Malfoy family grew even larger, if possible.

**He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn' say no ter a signed -"**

Sirius burst out laughing and the others all smiled.

**"Oh, shut up," said Harry. Ron snorted with laughter and the ground was sprayed with slugs.**

"He's kinda the last person to be making fun of someone else," Sirius said. "Since he's the one with the slugs."

**"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins.**

**It was nearly lunchtime and as Harry had only had one bit of treacle fudge since dawn, he was keen to go back to school to eat. They said good-bye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs.**

"Oh, good," Molly said in relief. "It's wearing off."

**They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter - Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening."**

"Aww," Sirius groaned. "I forgot all about that."

"And you were hoping that McGonagall forgot as well?" Moody asked. "Fat chance of that."

**"What're we doing, Professor?" said Ron, nervously suppressing a burp.**

**"You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley - elbow grease."**

"Well, that's not too bad. It could've been a lot worse," Sirius said with the air of experience. "What?" he demanded when they looked at him. "Look I've had my fair share of detentions when I was a kid ok?"

"Yeah," Remus said fondly. "You and James spent more time in detention than in class."

**Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school.**

**"And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall.**

"What!?" Sirius objected. "She can't do that! I thought that torture was banned from Hogwarts."

"Hard to say which would be worse though," Tonks asked the room at large. "Clean every single trophy in the trophy room, or spend the evening with Lockhart and his fan mail?"

**"Oh n- Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said Harry desperately.**

"I think we know which one Harry thinks is worse," chuckled Remus. Though he was personally thinking that he would rather spend the night cleaning than help Lockhart write to his adoring fans.

**"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."**

**Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. Harry didn't enjoy his shepherd's pie as much as he'd thought. Both he and Ron felt they'd got the worse deal.**

"No," Sirius said shaking his head. "All Ron has to do is clean. But Harry has to sit with Lockhart for who-knows-how-long!"

"Yeah, but Ron's got to spend the night with Filch," Tonks pointed out.

"Ouch," Sirius mumbled as he thought it all over. "That would be torture as well… but I still stand-by what I said before and say that Lockhart is worse."

"Oh, I don't deny that," Tonks agreed.

**"Filch'll have me there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."**

"**I'd swap anytime," said Harry hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys.**

Everyone felt their eyes narrow in anger at the thought of the Dursleys. Once more, each of them was daydreaming what they would like to do if they ever met those no good relatives. Moody was thinking of making weekly visits to number 4 and give them something to be afraid of. Molly was thinking of sending Howlers to them every day, and Arthur was thinking about jinxing some of their appliances into attacking them.

Tonks was thinking about turning the Dursleys into cockroaches, Remus was wondering if he could possibly meet them at the next Full Moon… and Sirius was longing to show up right at their doorsteps and give them a piece of his mind—and magic.

Once they were finished with their wonderful daydreams, they came back to earth to hear the rest of the chapter.

**Answering Lockhart's fan mail - he'll be a nightmare -"**

"I couldn't agree with you more, Harry," Sirius declared.

**Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and Harry was dragging his feet along the second-floor corridor to Lockhart's office. He gritted his teeth and knocked.**

"You got to give him credit for making himself go there," Moody said darkly.

"You couldn't pay me enough for that," Sirius shuddered. "I rather have quills being shoved in my eyes then seat there and deal with Lockhart.

**The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at him.**

**"Ah, here's the scalawag!" he said. "Come in, Harry, come in -"**

**Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles were countless framed photographs of Lockhart. He had even signed a few of them. Another large pile lay on his desk.**

"God," Sirius said in revulsion. "Have you ever seen anyone so obsessed with themselves?"

"I think he's in love," Tonks said gagging. "Oh, I don't think they could've picked a worse punishment for Harry."

**"You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart told Harry, as though this was a huge treat.**

"To Lockhart or Harry?" Sirius demanded.

"I would say to Lockhart. Anyone with half a brain could see that this is not fun," Mad-Eye grunted.

**"This first one's to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her - huge fan of mine -"**

"Hate to break it to you Gladys, but the man's heart belongs to someone else," Tonks said loudly as if hoping that Gladys could hear her. "Himself!"

**The minutes snailed by. **

**Harry let Lockhart's voice wash over him, occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then he caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Harry," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that."**

"Who would need to know all that?" demanded Sirius.

"Lockhart has a fat head," Moody explained. "What do you expect?"

**The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart watching him. Harry moved his aching hand over what felt like the thousandth envelope, writing out Veronica Smethley's address. It must be nearly time to leave, Harry thought miserably, please let it be nearly time…**

**And then he heard something – **

"Was it a little piece of his sanity slowly fading away as he listened to Lockhart drone on and on?" suggested Sirius grimly as he stared at the ceiling in boredom.

**something quite apart from the spitting of the dying candles and Lockhart's prattle about his fans.**

"Whatever it is, it must've been better than listening to Lockhart," Tonks muttered.

**It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.**

**_"Come - come to me - Let me rip you... Let me tear you... Let me kill you -"_**

Everyone froze as soon as Remus choked out the last few words.

Tonks's jaw dropped in horror. "Or… maybe not…"

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Sirius screamed frantically, snatching the book out of Remus's hands and reading it himself. "WHERE IS THAT VOICE COMING FROM? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

"I don't know!" Remus yelled back as he grabbed the book and read out quickly in a higher voice than usual.

**Harry gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot appeared on Veronica Smethley's street.**

**"What?" he said loudly.**

**"I know!" said Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the best-seller list! Broke all records!"**

"No you prat! Are you that obsessed with yourself that he didn't even hear a voice like that?" Tonks asked disbelieving.

**"No," said Harry frantically. "That voice!"**

**"Sorry?" said Lockhart, looking puzzled. "What voice?"**

**"That - that voice that said - didn't you hear it?"**

"He really didn't hear it?" Sirius frowned.

"We all know that he's dense, but he's not deaf," Remus frowned, shaking his head.

_"_Doubt the git can hear anything over his own voice," Mad-Eye proclaimed.

**Lockhart was looking at Harry in high astonishment.**

**"What are you talking about, Harry? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy? Great Scott - look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! I'd never have believed it - the time's flown, hasn't it?"**

"Four bloody hours," Sirius cried, temporarily forgetting the voice and realizing the horror of being in the same room with Lockhart for four hours. At least that was until Tonks spoke up.

"So he didn't hear it?" Tonks questioned. "He really didn't hear anything?"

Most of them looked puzzled. Why couldn't Lockhart hear that voice? Nobody, but Moody that is, notice when Arthur and Molly both glanced at each other with scared and worried expressions.

They both knew what that voice was. They remembered when Harry explained everything to them the night that they thought that they lost Ginny for good… Molly reached over and took Arthur's hand… that was one of the longest and worse nights they ever went though.

**Harry didn't answer. He was straining his ears to hear the voice again, but there was no sound now except for Lockhart telling him he mustn't expect a treat like this every time he got detention.**

"Treat? He calls that a treat?" Sirius demanded. "In who's right mind would think that was a treat?" But he wasn't trying to make a joke this time. What was happening now? Why did all of this seem to happen to his godson? Whose voice was that? He had a few creative ideas but…

Luckily, Remus went on before he could brood any further.

**Feeling dazed, Harry left.**

**It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. Harry went straight up to the dormitory. Ron wasn't back yet. Harry pulled on his pajamas, got into bed, and waited. Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish into the darkened room.**

**"My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on his bed. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off - How was it with Lockhart?"**

"It could've gone a lot better," Sirius growled.

"Detentions aren't supposed to be fun," Molly told him.

"But you aren't supposed to be hearing voice either!" Sirius snapped back.

**Keeping his voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Harry told Ron exactly what he had heard.**

**"And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron. Harry could see him frowning in the moonlight. "D'you think he was lying? But I don't get it - even someone invisible would've had to open the door."**

"I don't think it was someone invisible," Remus said uncertainly. "But then again, I've been wrong before."

"Is it too much to hope that Lockhart was right for once and Harry was just dozing off?" Sirius asked. They all looked at him and Sirius sighed, knowing that it was too much to hope for.

**"I know," said Harry, lying back in his four-poster and staring at the canopy above him. "I don't get it either." **

"Welcome to the life of Harry Potter," Tonks said sourly. "If he's not risking his life, then things aren't right."

Nobody bothered to contradict her… because they all felt that it was true. For a little while, they sat there, afraid to read any further—but knew that now that they started, there was no way that they would be able to stop themselves from finding out more.

Since he saw that no one else was going to say anything, Arthur held out his and to Remus, who still held the book, and asked if he could read. Remus didn't mind and handed it over.

Arthur glanced at his wife with another worried look before he cleared his throat and read out, "**Chapter 8: The Deathday Party**."


	10. The Deathday Party

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 8: The Deathday Party**

Arthur glanced at his wife with another worried look before he cleared his throat and read out, "**Chapter 8: The Deathday Party**."

"The Deathday party?" Remus repeated and grimaced.

"Blimey, that sounds gloomy," said Sirius.

"What's a Deathday party?" asked Tonks confused.

Remus explained, "It's like the opposite of a birthday party for ghosts. It sort of… celebrates the day they died."

"Who'd want to celebrate the day they died?" asked Tonks wrinkling her nose. "It sounds depressing to me."

"I suppose that ghosts need to do something with their free time," Sirius shrugged.

**October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking some by Percy. **

Mad-Eye leaned back in his seat as he briefly thought about that. This was just a little taste of Percy Weasley's personality. He's a control freak and believes in rigidly obeying the rules. It doesn't necessarily mean that he's a bad person however, but his personality does cause him to infringe on others if he's left in charge. His own sister was looking pale and if he had to bully her into taking some potion, which she took unwillingly… why was that? Was is because she didn't like the potion, or was she pale for another reason?

"Wouldn't fancy having him as an older brother," whispered Tonks to Sirius so that the two Weasley's couldn't hear them.

Sirius nodded in agreement.

**The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire.**

Most chuckled slightly at the mental image. Except for Moody who didn't think it was funny, and Molly and Arthur who were both looking very pale as well, thinking about how their daughter was used like a puppet by Voldemort.

**Raindrops the size of bullets**

"Bullets?" Tonks asked bewildered.

"Part of a Muggle weapon," Arthur said quickly. "They're little chunks of metal and they…"

"Yes, dear," Molly said annoyed. "Why don't we go on before you get too excited?"

Arthur gave her a disappointed look but did what he was told.

**thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened, which was why Harry was to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud.**

**Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles. **

"They shouldn't worry," Arthur said, interrupting himself, "It's the people on the brooms that really matter."

"True," Sirius agreed. "But a good broom doesn't hurt."

"Whose side are you on?" Tonks demanded.

"Who do you think?" he said back getting aggravated. "I'm just saying that a good broom isn't a bad thing!"

**As Harry squelched along the deserted corridor he came across somebody who looked just as preoccupied as he was. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, "… don't fulfill their requirements… half an inch, if that…"**

"Don't tell me he's still talking about the Headless Hunt," Sirius laughed. He remembered fondly how the Gryffindor ghost would complain about not being allowed to join the that club every year, at Halloween.

"But Nick isn't headless," Arthur pointed out. "That's why he's called '_Nearly_ Headless Nick.'"

"No, he isn't," Remus smiled. "But that doesn't stop him from trying."

**"Hello, Nick," said Harry.**

**"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Harry could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.**

**"You look troubled, young Potter," said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.**

"How does that work?" Molly couldn't help but ask. "How to ghosts write letters?"

"Good question," Remus said slowly. "I never understood it."

"Ghosts…" Mad-Eye growled under his breath as his eye began to spin lazily. A sign that he was bored.

**"So do you," said Harry.**

**"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, "a matter of no importance… It's not as though I really wanted to join… Thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfill requirements' —"**

"Of course he doesn't!" Sirius said exasperated. "It's the HEADLESS HUNT! You can't join unless you're completely headless!"

"Every single year, he tries to join," Remus chuckled. "And every single year he fails to get in."

"I bet that he's hoping that if he keeps asking, they'll finally get so tired of him asking," Arthur responded. "That sooner or later they'll have to let him."

"You can't join the Headless Hunt if you're head is still partly attached to your neck!" Sirius said stretching, "Besides, they're ghosts! They have all eternity to hang around. It's not like they're busy!"

**In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face.**

**"But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"**

"Ouch," Tonks said conversationally.

"Forty-five times?!" Molly exclaimed, having not known this.

"And they didn't manage to get his head off properly?" Moody asked interested. "They must've been a bunch of wimps to not being able to take the head off in just one swing. That—or they just enjoyed torture."

Arthur and Molly stared at him horrified as Sirius spoke up.

"Forty-five times in the neck?!" Sirius asked, incredulously. "Does that mean he stayed alive through all that, or do you think he became a ghost halfway through and watched the rest?"

"Sirius," Remus said, looking slightly green. "Please don't talk like that. We all just ate!"

**"Oh — yes," said Harry, who was obviously supposed to agree.**

**"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However—" Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously:**

**"'We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling**

"Wonder what would happen if they dropped the head?" Sirius asked wondering. "Do you think it would hit the floor or go right through it?"

**and Head Polo.**

**It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'"**

**Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.**

**"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, Harry! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."**

"Sorry, to say this," Moody said. "But to be decapitated means that the head is off fully."

"You boys sure do love to talk about beheading don't ya?" Tonks asked fascinated.

Sirius grinned at her, "What do you expect? Some things little boys just don't grow out of." He then noticed the sick look on Arthur's face and said, "Well most little boys."

"Hey," Arthur began as his wife put her hand on his shoulder and said. "It's ok, just keep reading."

**Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and then said, in a far calmer tone, "So — what's bothering you? Anything I can do?"**

**"No," said Harry. "Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly—"**

**The rest of Harry's sentence was drowned out by a high-pitched mewling from somewhere near his ankles. He looked down and found himself gazing into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal gray cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against students.**

"Oh, great," Sirius said sarcastically. "That cat again. Well, no—I guess I really shouldn't call it a cat. That would be an insult to the feline species."

"I thought you hated cats," Arthur asked in surprise.

"I hate MOST cats," Sirius said with a shrug. "I guess it has something to do with being able to turn into a dog."

"You don't need to transform to be act like dog," Molly muttered to herself.

**"You'd better get out of here, Harry," said Nick quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood **

"You mean that he has _good_ moods too?" Tonks said astounded.

**— he's got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place —"**

"Frog brains on the ceiling. That sure does bring me back," Sirius said in a dreamy voice. "Sticking gross things on the ceilings of the dungeons was the very first thing that me and James ever got in trouble for at Hogwarts."

"Yeah," Remus agreed with a laugh, "Except instead of frog brains, it was a mixture of sheep brains, pig fetus, and your lunches."

"Yep," Sirius said as the grin spread ever farther. "Good times."

"Wow," Molly said disdainfully. "So even back then you were reckless and a junkie for trouble."

"What was that?"

_'Can't they go a little while without trying to kill each other?'_ thought Remus with a sigh. He quickly nodded his head to Arthur to keep going before the two of them pulled out their wands and start dueling."

**"Right," said Harry, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough. Drawn to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry to Harry's right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breaker.**

"How do they do it?" Tonks demanded. "How do Filch and Mrs. Norris communicate?"

"Who cares about that?" Sirius asked. "What I want to know is why he gave that cat the name _Mrs_. Norris. I mean—what happened to Mr. Norris?"

They laughed at that.

**There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.**

**"Filth!" he shouted, his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from Harry's Quidditch robes. "Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter!"**

"It's mud!" Remus stated. "It's not going to kill anyone!"

"Oh, don't bother," Tonks said waving her hand away. "He just likes to find the most ridiculous reasons to punish the students."

**So Harry waved a gloomy good-bye to Nearly Headless Nick and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the number of muddy footprints on the floor. Harry had never been inside Filch's office before; it was a place most students avoided. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Harry could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves. **

"Ha, ha," Sirius laughed. "That's nothing."

"Why would you say that?" Arthur and Tonks asked.

"Because me and James ended up earning a whole cabinet just for us!" he said smugly as if he single-handily found a cure to all diseases on earth.

"You say that like you're proud of it!" Molly said reproachfully.

He laughed again, "Sure am. It made dear old mum angry which is something to be proud of." He thought back to all the times that letters were sent home to his parents about the kind of trouble that he got into. And they would send loud Howlers back, screaming that he was a disgrace to the name of Black and how he should hurry and grow up and act more like Regulus. He sighed happily, those were the best letters he could've gotten from home. If they wrote and told him that they were proud and happy for him… then he would've been scared sick.

**A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.**

"I remember all the times that he threatened us with that," Sirius said happily. Every time that they were actually caught by the old care-taker, they were hauled off to his office, and he would threaten to hang them by their thumps in the dungeon for a few days. Filch always said that the Marauders were the very bane of his existence.

"You're in a good mood, Sirius," Remus said smiling.

He grinned back, "This chapter is bringing back so many wonderful memories."

**Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.**

**"Dung," he muttered furiously, "great sizzling dragon bogies… frog brains… rat intestines… I've had enough of it… make an example… where's the form… yes…"**

**He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.**

**"Name… Harry Potter. Crime…"**

"Awww," Sirius cooed as he wiped a fake tear away. "Little Harry's first punishment form from Filch."

"How can you be proud that he's in trouble?!" Molly yelled at him.

"He's keeping up the noble art of rule-breaking!" he said back blissfully.

Molly looked like she was about to tell him off, but then she noticed that Sirius wasn't paying any attention and just said, "You know… I think you spent one too many years in Azkaban."

"Huh?" he asked, coming out of his daze. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," she mutter turning her head away.

**"It was only a bit of mud!" said Harry.**

**"It's only a bit of mud to you, boy, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose. "Crime… befouling the castle… suggested sentence…"**

"Isn't it his job to clean the castle?" Molly asked raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I can understand if the student, or certain idiot," she looked at Sirius when she muttered the last word under her breath before saying in a normal tone, "Makes the mess on purpose."

"Yeah," agreed Tonks, "It's not Harry's fault this time. It's the Quidditch fanatic who made him practice."

"Filch's a git," Sirius said as if it was obvious. "What do you expect from a git?"

**Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Harry who waited with bated breath for his sentence to fall.**

"He always makes sure that you clean something horrible with your toothbrush in detention," Sirius said wisely.

"You would know wouldn't you, Black?" Moody asked shrewdly.

**But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.**

**"PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"**

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love that poltergeist?" Sirius cried out joyfully. "All the times that he reeked trouble on Filch whenever we were caught…"

"Ok, Sirius," Arthur said, starting to grow tired of the constant interruptions.

**And without a backward glance at Harry, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him.**

**Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress. Harry didn't much like Peeves, but couldn't help feeling grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from Harry.**

**Thinking that he should probably wait for Filch to come back, Harry sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. **

"What?" Sirius cried incredulously. "Why wait? It's a sign! A sign telling you to get out of there! Just take this gift and make a break for it! Don't wait for him to come _back!_"

Molly huffed. "I'm glad that he's not as much of a delinquent as his Godfather. He's just doing the right thing, Sirius!"

"But Molly, he's sticking around, waiting to get punished… this is his once in a lifetime chance to escape!" He leaned back in his seat and said to himself, "Yep, he's definitely Lily's son."

**There was only one thing on it apart from his half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, Harry picked up the envelope and read:**

**_KWIKSPELL_**

**_A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic._**

**Intrigued, Harry flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. **

"What?" Sirius said excited. "You mean to tell me that he opened someone else's letter when he knew that he wasn't supposed to? That's my boy!"

**More curly silver writing on the front page said:**

**_Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? Ever been taunted for your woeful wandwork?_**

**_There is an answer!_**

**_Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!_**

**_Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes:_**

**_"I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the center of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!"_**

**_Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says:_**

**_"My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!"_**

"Why would you turn your wife into a yak?" Tonks asked confused. "That would mean that you're married to a cow… yeah, that'll make your friends jealous."

"You know," Remus said. "I always thought that Filch was a Squib. That explains why he hates the students so much."

"Yeah, and it would also explain why he always cleans the Muggle way," Sirius said reasonably.

**Fascinated, Harry thumbed through the rest of the envelope's contents. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn't a proper wizard? Harry was just reading Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips) when shuffling footsteps outside told him Filch was coming back.**

"Put it back before he notices!" Sirius yelled.

**Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Harry threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.**

**Filch was looking triumphant.**

**"That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" he was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet —"**

"He really needs to get out more," Sirius said. "I mean… you must be lonely if you're calling your cat, your sweetheart…"

They all started to roar with laughter, though Molly did so a little half-heartedly.

**His eyes fell on Harry and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, Harry realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.**

Sirius' palm hit his forehead, and slowly slid down his face. "Harry, you need some lessons in rule-breaking and how not to get caught."

"What's it matter?" Arthur asked. "He always gets out of trouble somehow."

"True," Sirius said nodding in agreement.

**Filch's pasty face went brick red. Harry braced himself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.**

**"Have you — did you read —?" he sputtered.**

**"No," Harry lied quickly.**

"What did he expect him to say?" Remus asked Sirius out of the corner of his mouth.

"It's the instinctive answer," Sirius said, nodding wisely. "Someone should really teach these kids how to lie. Though I think he should've come clean and told the truth this time."

"You?" Remus asked in disbelief. "Trouble-maker extraordinaire, Sirius Black—want Harry to tell the truth when he could get in even more trouble?"

"Yeah, well, come on. It's obvious that he read it…" Sirius shrugged. "I would've used it as blackmail."

"Ah, there we go," Remus said sounding relieved. "That sounds like the Padfoot I remember."

**Filch's knobbly hands were twisting together.**

**"If I thought you'd read my private —not that it's mine — for a friend — be that as it may — however —"**

"Pffft," Tonks spat. "Right a _friend_. I suppose it's for Mrs. Norris… after all she's his only friend."

Sirius and Arthur couldn't help but snort. Even Molly was having a hard time keeping her face straight. "Good one, Tonks!" Sirius yelled, giving her a high five.

**Harry was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn't help.**

**"Very well — go — and don't breathe a word — not that — however, if you didn't read — go now, I have to write up Peeves' report — go —"**

"Well that's one way to get out of trouble," Sirius beamed.

"Peeves is a poltergeist!" Tonks cried. "What's the point in writing up a poltergeist? He's not a student, it's not like he can serve detention…"

"He's trying to gather proof to show to Dumbledore one day why he should get rid of Peeves," Remus stated. "He's been doing that ever since he first arrived at the school."

**Amazed at his luck, Harry sped out of the office, up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.**

"Now, that is something to look back one day and smile on," Sirius practically glowing with pride. "He should have his own award in the trophy room! The first kid ever to escape Filch's office without a punishment!"

"Ok, Padfoot," Remus said. "I think that you might be going a little overboard with all this.

"I'm just happy!" Sirius said obviously.

**"Harry! Harry! Did it work?"**

**Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, Harry could see the wreckage of a large black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been dropped from a great height.**

**"I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office," said Nick eagerly. "Thought it might distract him —"**

"HE did that?" Sirius yelled. "I love that ghost!"

"Ok," Arthur said, his patience starting to be stretched very thin.

**"Was that you?" said Harry gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, I didn't even get detention. Thanks, Nick!"**

"Wait a minute," Sirius interrupted yet again sounding outraged, "Why didn't Nick ever do that for us?"

"Because you never stop what you're doing to have a friendly conversation and ask if there was something wrong?" Molly suggested.

"Details, details," Sirius said, dismissive once again.

"Yes, it's an attitude like that…"

"Enough all of you. Especially you, Black!" Moody yelled. "Keep this up and we won't be finished for another week!'

**They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless Nick, Harry noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick's rejection letter…**

**"I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt," Harry said. Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Harry walked right through him. He wished he hadn't; it was like stepping through an icy shower.**

**"But there is something you could do for me," said Nick excitedly. "Harry — would I be asking too much — but no, you wouldn't want —"**

**"What is it?" said Harry.**

**"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday," said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.**

**"Oh," said Harry, not sure whether he should look sorry or happy about this. "Right."**

"Go for both," Tonks said. "Look happy for him, but have a little sad look in your eyes at the same time."

**"I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you would attend. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome, too, of course — but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?" He watched Harry on tenderhooks.**

"It would be interesting." Remus speculated, "Not to many living people have been invited to one."

**"No," said Harry quickly, "I'll come —"**

**"My dear boy! Harry Potter, at my deathday party! And —" he hesitated, looking excited "— do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"**

"Nick? Frightening?" Sirius didn't even try to hide his laughter. "Compared to what?"

"I'm warning you, Black," Mad-Eye said holding his wand up. "Keep this up and I'll put a silencing charm on you."

"OK, you don't need to threaten me!"

Remus on the other hand was overjoyed to see Sirius acting like this. He couldn't remember seeing his friend look this happy for a long, long time. He was acting like the same immature adult that laughed whenever he was with James, talked to Lily, or hold baby Harry… it was so good to see happy and enjoying life again.

**"Of — of course," said Harry.**

**Nearly Headless Nick beamed at him.**

**"A deathday party?" said Hermione keenly when Harry had changed at last and joined her and Ron in the common room. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those — it'll be fascinating!"**

**"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. "Sounds dead depressing to me…"**

"Dead being the appropriate word here," Tonks smirked.

**Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now inky black, but inside all looked bright and cheerful. The firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander. **

"Fred! George!" Molly shouted, "That's cruelty to animals!"

"Now, Molly," Arthur said soothingly, "I'm sure that they didn't mean to hurt the lizard…"

_*Meanwhile, at the castle*_

Dumbledore watched through one of the many classroom windows at the students enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. But his eyes flew around the grounds until he found the very ones that he was looking for. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting underneath a large beech tree with their homework, clearly enjoying the chance at working outside.

From this distance, he could just barely make out the black-haired teen sitting right between his two friends… Albus couldn't help but wonder if he was doing the right thing? He had been asking himself that question every day since the end of last year. Ever since Harry came out of the maze clutching Cedric Diggory's body, crying to him that Voldemort was back, he had been battling with himself on whether or not he should tell Harry the truth.

As Harry retold him and Sirius what happened in the graveyard later that evening in his office, the dreaded words of the prophecy replayed themselves over and over inside his head,_ "And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…_"

He had just kept repeating to himself that the boy was far too young to be told just yet, even though he had faced more things in the last four years alone than most do in their entire lives.

Then later when he was in the hospital wing, Fudge wouldn't believe that Voldemort had finally returned with the help from some dark magic. Albus knew that this was going to be a long and difficult road ahead.

And when he sent Harry back to the Dursleys he felt his heart clenched painfully; he was unable to look him in the eyes. He knew that it would be the last time that he would see the boy for awhile—and he also knew that he was condemning the boy to a house where he wasn't happy or welcomed at—maybe for the whole summer. He had discouraged his friends not to write to him—hoping against hope that Harry could have a summer of peace instead worry…

But that had backfired on him… and Harry had to pay the price.

All this year he had been trying hard to avoid Harry. He couldn't risk Harry's safety to stay close to him; he needed to distance himself, make it less tempting for Tom if he thought Albus just thought of Harry as a regular student.

Albus closed his eyes… he could lie to Tom, and he could lie to Harry. He could lie to the students and his professors… he could even lie to the wizarding world, but he could not lie to himself. He knew that he would have to tell the boy soon… but how soon? How long would he be allowed to wait?

He watched the trio underneath the tree for a long time until he heard a knock on the door. He turned just in time to see Severus was through and lock the door behind him. He walked right up next to him and spoke, "Umbridge is talking about putting up yet another one of her degrees," he told Dumbledore in a sour voice.

Albus nodded unhappily, "I heard. Minerva told me that she overheard her talking to Filch about it. Apparently, punishments will be completely under her control soon."

"Not that I'm not against punishments," Severus said silkily. "But her idea of punishment is torture."

Dumbledore ran a weary hand through his beard. "Voldemort's on the move and Fudge and the ministry are as good as helping him! Wasting all their time hunting down the wrong people… I hope that by the by the end of the year, we can make see sense."

"I wouldn't put my hopes up yet," Severus told him. "I would say that thick-headed Fudge is almost as stubborn as you are. There are some people who never learn."

Albus chuckled lightly. "True… speaking of learning… how is Harry's Occlumency lesson's going?"

Snape stood stiffly, his arms crossed and his lips thin. Albus was willing to bet everything he owned that Severus was about to complain… and sure enough…

"They are not going well at all. I've told you before that he refuses to do what I instruct him! He won't listen to me. I told you he doesn't have the right character or skill to accomplish this branch of magic," he said bitterly.

Albus sighed as he peered over his half-moon spectacles at the Potion's Master. "As you very well know, Severus, this is where our opinions differ. I truly believe Harry can accomplish it. Patience is the key, Severus. He has no idea what is going on and we can't reveal any information that would make him suffer needlessly. Harry needs to learn Occlumency for his own safety. Harry is not as unskilled as you make him out," he whispered, "Which I must admit that I'm tired of telling you this."

Snape arched one black eyebrow. "His mind is weak, Dumbledore. He's not even beginning to show the slightest bit of mental defenses. He ignores everything I say and refuses to practice clearing his mind at night like I tell him to."

"You know as well as I do how important this is Severus…" Albus began again.

"Yes, I know he needs to learn this, but does _he know that_? He refuses to take my advice and heed your warnings. Why can't you teach Potter, Dumbledore? I think both of us would much rather you do it."

"You know very well why I can't," Albus said regretfully. "If Voldemort does learn how to access Harry's mind, he will try to use him to get to me."

"I just can't teach Potter. It's not helping either of us. I found out that he's been dreaming of the Department of Mysteries for the last few months, though he doesn't realize what it means yet. Dumbledore, I think you're the only one who can actually get that kid to learn," Severus demanded.

"Severus, why are you so opposed to teaching Harry? Isn't it about time that you overcome your grudges and insecurities so that you can move on? You know as well as I do that Harry doesn't have James' fondness for pranks on others. His gentle nature is much more like Lily's," Dumbledore said to him.

Severus glared at him. It's true that he had agreed all those years ago to help Dumbledore protect Lily's son and defeat the Dark Lord. Not a day went by that he didn't think of the woman he loved. Whenever he thought of her, it always seemed to bring a feeling of meaning to his life, but was also mixed in with regret and terrible agony.

It was for her alone that he was protecting her son.

But now… things have changed.

The images that he glimpsed during the unsuccessful Occlumency sessions were flooding into his mind's eye. Images of Harry Potter as the small child, abused and neglected. No friends, no decent family, no one there to care for him.

He thought of Potter watching his cousin with mountains of new toys and games, while he got nothing but old and broken hand-me-downs, being terrorized by his cousin's gang and fat uncle, being chased right up a tree by his aunt's dog, being forced to sleep in a dark cupboard full of spiders… but most of all—the powerful loneliness and misery that the boy felt during his whole childhood was filling him with guilt. That was something that he could understand too well.

"Terrible," Snape whispered to himself, pitying the child he saw in the memories, remembering how lonely his own childhood had been. And reading those books from the boy's point of view wasn't helping…"Just terrible."

"What is?" Albus asked in surprise.

Realizing that he had been talking out loud, he tried to cover up his mistake by saying, "T-the boy. He's terrible at learning such a complex brand of magic."

Albus didn't look convinced, but he didn't say anything about it. Instead he said, "Go and find Minerva, Severus. I think that things are safe here for the moment, and we should pay a quick visit to Grimmauld Place."

_*Back at Grimmauld Place*_

"Fred! George!" Molly shouted, "That's cruelty to animals!"

"Now, Molly," Arthur said soothingly, "I'm sure that they didn't mean to hurt the lizard…"

**Fred had "rescued" the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people.**

"I stand corrected," Arthur said as Molly looked angry.

"Don't worry," Remus said with a smirk. "Salamanders love fire. I'm sure that it wasn't hurt."

**Harry was at the point of telling Ron and Hermione about Filch and the Kwikspell course when the salamander suddenly whizzed into the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the room. The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from Harry's mind.**

"Remind me to have a talk with those boys," Molly growled, sounding like the saber-tooth tiger that she was famous of looking like when she got angry.

**By the time Halloween arrived, Harry was regretting his rash promise to go to the deathday party. The rest of the school was happily anticipating their Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumors that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment.**

**"A promise is a promise," Hermione reminded Harry bossily. "You said you'd go to the deathday party."**

**So at seven o'clock, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.**

**The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with candles, too, though the effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces. The temperature dropped with every step they took.**

"That's cheerful," Sirius said with sarcasm.

"Just when I thought that we could get through a page without someone talking," Moody sighed. "I knew that it was too good to last."

**As Harry shivered and drew his robes tightly around him, he heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard.**

"That's what they call music?" Tonks demanded, cringing at the thought of it.

**"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered. They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.**

"Are you supposed to be cheerful or depressed at a deathday party?" Sirius asked wonderingly.

**"My dear friends," he said mournfully. "Welcome, welcome… so pleased you could come…"**

"Ah, that answers my question."

**He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.**

**It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.**

"How can saws be musical?" Tonks couldn't help but ask.

"Sounds like they're attending a fancy funeral," declared Remus.

"Well, it is a DEATHday party," Sirius said simply.

**"Shall we have a look around?" Harry suggested, wanting to warm up his feet.**

**"Careful not to walk through anyone," said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Harry wasn't surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the other ghosts.**

"Creepy," Molly mumbled under her breath.

**"Oh, no," said Hermione, stopping abruptly. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle —"**

"Moaning Myrtle's there to?" Sirius laughed. "Blimey, I actually miss her."

"Only because you and James would throw things through her as a game," Remus muttered as he thought back to the many times that they made the sobbing ghost cry and flood the halls.

"You were really horrible back then weren't you," Molly said, it wasn't a question.

**"Who?" said Harry as they backtracked quickly.**

**"She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the second floor," said Hermione.**

**"She haunts a toilet?"**

**"Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you —"**

**"Look, food!" said Ron.**

"Oh, goody!" Sirius said sitting up straighter.

**On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, also covered in black velvet. They approached it eagerly but next moment had stopped in their tracks, horrified. The smell was quite disgusting. Large, rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; cakes, burned charcoal-black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mold and, in pride of place, an enormous gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words,**

**SIR NICHOLAS DE MIMSY-PORPINGTON**

**DIED 31ST OCTOBER, 1492**

"That's disgusting!" Tonks cried out as her nose shrunk down.

"Yum, yum," Moody exclaimed. "Rotting fish, burnt cakes, maggoty haggis, and moldy cheese… sounds tasty."

"Don't…" Sirius groaned. "How can you let good food go to waste like this?"

**Harry watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low, and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmon.**

**"Can you taste it if you walk though it?" Harry asked him.**

**"Almost," said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.**

"That's just depressing," Sirius whined. "How horrible, not being able to eat? I'd never come back as a ghost. I couldn't go on like that!"

**"I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavor," said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.**

"Wonder what they do with the leftovers?" Tonks asked sarcastically.

"Don't you dare joke about food!" Sirius said firmly.

**"Can we move? I feel sick," said Ron.**

**They had barely turned around, however, when a little man swooped suddenly from under the table and came to a halt in midair before them.**

**"Hello, Peeves," said Harry cautiously.**

**Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the Poltergeist was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face.**

"Finally, someone who's jolly!" Arthur said.

"I have to say that I love his fashion sense," laughed Sirius.

**"Nibbles?" he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus.**

**"No thanks," said Hermione.**

**"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," said Peeves, his eyes dancing. "Rude you was about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath and bellowed, "OY! MYRTLE!"**

"Of course he calls her over," Remus shook his head.

**"Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset," Hermione whispered frantically. "I didn't mean it, I don't mind her — er, hello, Myrtle."**

**The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.**

**"What?" she said sulkily.**

**"How are you, Myrtle?" said Hermione in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."**

"Interesting way to start a conversation," Molly had to say. Really, these kids sure knew how to strike up a small chat.

"I've known worse," Moody said with a shrug.

**Myrtle sniffed.**

**"Miss Granger was just talking about you —" said Peeves slyly in Myrtle's ear. "Just saying —"**

**"Just saying — saying — how nice you look tonight," said Hermione, glaring at Peeves.**

**Myrtle eyed Hermione suspiciously.**

**"You're making fun of me," she said, silver tears welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes.**

**"No — honestly — didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" said Hermione, nudging Harry and Ron painfully in the ribs.**

"Yeah, like anyone will believe that," Sirius shaking his head.

**"Oh, yeah —"**

**"She did —"**

**"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"**

"Well," Tonks said slowly, "Maybe if you cheered up, people wouldn't call you that."

**"You've forgotten pimply," Peeves hissed in her ear.**

Sirius couldn't hide a snicker. "He has such a gift with words doesn't he?"

**Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with moldy peanuts, yelling, "Pimply! Pimply!"**

"She's a little dramatic don't ya think?" Tonks asked them.

"Ghost come in all colors…" Remus stated.

"No, they don't," Sirius said grinning again. "They're always pale and see-through."

"It's a figure of speech!" Remus said loudly.

**"Oh, dear," said Hermione sadly.**

**Nearly Headless Nick now drifted toward them through the crowd.**

**"Enjoying yourselves?"**

**"Oh, yes," they lied.**

"Oh, yes, they're having a real blast," Arthur stated.

**"Not a bad turnout," said Nearly Headless Nick proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent… It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra…"**

**The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded.**

**"Oh, here we go," said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.**

**Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly; Harry started to clap, too, but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick's face.**

**The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck.**

**"Nick!" he roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"**

**He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder.**

**"Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.**

"Oh, is this Sir Properly Decapitated Podmore, then?" Tonks asked ironically. "He sounds like a lovely person."

"I don't get it," Sirius asked confused. "Why invite him if Nick's angry?"

"It's a little thing called manners, Sirius," Molly said slowly and carefully as if she was talking to someone who couldn't hear properly. "I think you should take a few lessons from him."

"I've got perfect manners," Sirius scoffed. "I just chose not to use them."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she hissed. "But why am I under the impression that you don't know them in the first place?"

"I'm just one hell of an actor I guess."

**"Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting Harry, Ron, and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).**

**"Very amusing," said Nearly Headless Nick darkly.**

**"Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say — look at the fellow —"**

**"I think," said Harry hurriedly, at a meaningful look from Nick, "Nick's very — frightening and — er —"**

"Convincing," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "Come on, Harry. You're too honest!"

**"Ha!" yelled Sir Patrick's head. "Bet he asked you to say that!"**

**"If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" said Nearly Headless Nick loudly, striding toward the podium and climbing into an icy blue spotlight.**

**"My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow…"**

**But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd were turning to watch. Nearly Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick's head went sailing past him to loud cheers.**

Remus frowned and said, "That's rude. It's Nick's deathday party after all."

"They're ghosts," Sirius stated. "They have to have some fun. I think that they're just lightening up the mood."

"Isn't death supposed to be depressing?" Tonks asked slowly.

**Harry was very cold by now, not to mention hungry.**

**"I can't stand much more of this," Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.**

**"Let's go," Harry agreed.**

**They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.**

"Well, that could've gone better."

"Would you just shut up?!" Moody barked, making them all jump.

**"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.**

**And then Harry heard it.**

**"… rip… tear… kill…"**

Everyone paled. Remus felt his heart freeze as he quickly looked at Sirius to see that the smile that had been on his face for most of the chapter had slid off. "No," he whispered, "Not again. Not this voice again."

"What the heck is it? And can Ron and Hermione hear it too?" Tonks asked as she bit her thumbnail.

**It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice he had heard in Lockhart's office.**

**He stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all his might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.**

**"Harry, what're you —?"**

**"It's that voice again — shut up a minute —"**

**"… soo hungry… for so long…"**

"No," Tonks croaked. "They can't hear it either. Why? What's going on here?"

Sirius was looking awful. _'No,'_ he silently begged. _'No, don't follow it Harry! Turn around and leave! Let someone else deal with it.'_

**"Listen!" said Harry urgently, and Ron and Hermione froze, watching him.**

**"… kill… time to kill…"**

"It's going to kill someone!" Tonks shrieked.

Only Moody had notice how white Molly had gotten, or that Arthur was holding her hand tightly.

**The voice was growing fainter. Harry was sure it was moving away — moving upward. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped him as he stared at the dark ceiling; how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn't matter?**

"That's not a bad guess…" Sirius began.

"But ghosts can't kill…" Remus said with narrowed eyes. "It can't be a phantom because the others would be able to hear it as well. But only Harry can."

What was happening here? Even in the Wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign. He knew that Harry wasn't making this up—he knew that Harry was definitely hearing something sinister—but why was he the only one who could hear it?

**"This way," he shouted, and he began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble of talk from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. **

"Yeah, so just forget it and just go in and eat with everyone else," Sirius begged. "Don't do something that will put you in any danger."

He then noticed the surprised look on Molly face because he snapped at her, "I may encourage rule-breaking. But he's my godson and the last thing I want is for him to face anything even remotely life-threatening! Don't you dare say that I don't care that he could be in danger!"

Molly blinked and turned away. No, that's not why she was looking at him like that. It's just that… she had been thinking along those same words herself. His speech sounded just like something that she could've said. She waited until he had his attention back on the book before she looked at his face again. She observed the anxious look in his eyes, and the way that he was wringing his hands in panic.

She still believed that Sirius just wasn't cut out to be a responsible guardian just yet… but there wasn't a doubt in her mind when it came to parental love. Sirius truly loved Harry and wanted him to be happy like any real parent would. She would try to remember that next time he did something irresponsible.

**Harry sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, Ron and Hermione clattering behind him.**

**"Harry, what're we —"**

**"SHH!"**

**Harry strained his ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, he heard the voice: "… I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!"**

Tonks was now biting all her nails, Remus griped the edges of his chair very tightly as his face because bloodless, Molly had tears falling down her face while Arthur looked like someone had punched him in the gut. Sirius wringed his hands even tighter, leaving fingernail marks covering every inch of skin… while Mad-Eye… well he looked the same as he always did—though maybe a little more worried.

**His stomach lurched —**

**"It's going to kill someone!" he shouted, and ignoring Ron's and Hermione's bewildered faces, he ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over his own pounding footsteps — Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Ron and Hermione panting behind him, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.**

**"Harry, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything…"**

"Why can't they hear it?" Tonks demanded. "I don't get it!"

**But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.**

**"Look!"**

**Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.**

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**

**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE**

"The Chamber of Secrets…" Sirius whispered. "I know that I've heard that before."

"Of course you did," Arthur said weakly as he realized that this was probably the first time that Voldemort forced his little girl to do something against her will. "Could it possibly be because that's what the title of the book is called?"

He glared at him as he ran his fingers through his tangled hair. "No, I mean I heard it before we started the book. I remember dear old mum telling me about it once. Back when they tried to drill the pure blood mania into my head. According to legend, it was supposed to be some kind of chamber under the school created by Salazar Slytherin, which was the home of some kind of monster. I remember them telling me that it's been opened once in the past… At least that's what my parents said."

"Slytherin's monster?" Tonks gasped.

"If it is Slytherin's then it has to be some kind of…" Remus began slowly

"Snake," Arthur finished for them darkly.

"Yeah," Remus said quickly. "Yeah, that makes sense! Harry's a parselmouth! It makes sense why he can hear it and no one else can…"

"A snake?" Sirius croaked. "Just what the hell happens this year?" He turned on Arthur and Molly and called out, "You both know something! Why don't you share with the rest of the group?"

"It's nothing you won't find out for yourselves by the end of the book," Arthur said quietly.

"That's not what I'm asking…"

"Then don't ask!" Molly yelled as tears fell. It was those tears alone that got Sirius to stop himself from yelling and quiet down. He stared at the fear and pained expression on her face… and then he remembered something that they said at the beginning to the book… _'He goes down there to save my daughter…' _

Something truly horrible must've happened to Ginny that year… and after seeing the Weasleys looking this upset and heartbroken, he couldn't find it in him to ask any further. He leaned back and waited for Arthur to go on.

It took a few minutes for Arthur to find his voice and choke out.

**"What's that thing — hanging underneath?" said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.**

**As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped — there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed him, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.**

**Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.**

They all stared at the book. "What happened?" Tonks whispered so quietly that they barely heard her words.

"No idea," Remus whispered back. He had seen the cat at the school just a year after all this happened… she couldn't be dead.

**For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."**

**"Shouldn't we try and help —" Harry began awkwardly.**

**"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."**

"Yes, finally someone has enough sense!"

**But it was too late. **

Sirius groaned as he put his face into his hands. "It always is for these three."

**A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.**

**The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.**

**Then someone shouted through the quiet.**

**"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"**

**It was Draco Malfoy.**

"Doesn't that idiot have something better to do with his free time?!"

**He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.**

"That is one sadistic, and messed up child," Molly sniffled angrily.

"What would you expect from the son of _Lucius Malfoy_, and my dear cousin _Narcissa_," said Sirius bitterly, spitting out the names as if they were poison. "They're snakes! Living snakes!"

"Don't stop reading!" Tonks cried as Arthur closed the book

"But the chapter's finished!" he told her.

"Figures," Moody said darkly. "Just when it was finally getting good."

"GOOD?!" Molly shrieked. "You call a cat being attacked, threatening messages on the wall, with Harry, Ron, and Hermione caught at the scene of the crime—good?!"

He shrugged. Just thinking about it. We all know that they come out of this year alive don't they? And whatever happened to that cat is now linked to the voice that Potter heard. And this has been bugging me for awhile. What's with all the staring eyes references? And the water on the floor? It may just be water, but there is nothing to indicate that the corridor normally has a big puddle in the middle of it. The mystery keeps getting thicker."

Sirius couldn't take it anymore, "Look…" he began to yell. But at that moment the doorbell rang from downstairs. The all shut up immediately, wondering who it was this time.

Tonks leapt up, tripped over her chair, and stumbled to the doorway to see who it was. But just as she was out the door, they could all hear Sirius's mother screaming profanities and insults for a few minutes. Then there was a loud bang, and the screaming stopped.

"It's ok!" Tonks called. "The teachers are finally back!"

They all released a breath of air that they didn't even realize that they were holding at the same time. Sure enough, McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbledore all came through the door right after Tonks. They all nodded and muttered words of greetings as the teachers all filed in and sat down.

"How's Harry and the others?" was the first thing that came out of Sirius's mouth.

"As well as can be expected," Albus said as he took an armchair. "They're enjoying the nice weather."

He nodded in approval as Remus then asked, "And Umbridge?"

"Well," Dumbledore said slowly. "The castle was still standing when we returned, and that's an accomplishment itself."

"She hasn't tried to get complete control of the school then?" Molly asked coldly.

"Not yet," Minerva snarled as she thought about the despicable toad walking the walls at Hogwarts as if it was her own personal playhouse. "But she tries every chance she gets." She took a few calming breathes and asked, "Did we miss anything important?"

"Nothing that you would find interesting," Moody said smoothly. "Except that Potter's hearing voices and a cat was attacked."

They spent the next five minutes to brief them in on everything that happened while they were gone. Dumbledore looked thoughtful at this information, while the other two stared. Severus looked guilty when Remus mentioned how Draco insulted Hermione by calling her '_Mudblood_.'

"Remind me to have a word with that boy when we get back to the castle," she hissed at Severus before looking back at them and asked, "All that in just the first two months?"

"Yep," Molly said dully as she cast a meaningful look at Dumbledore before adding, "And we're about to find out what happens when they were caught at the first attack."

Dumbledore nodded before saying, "Well, please, don't hold back on our account. Who's reading now?"

"I'll do it," Minerva volunteered as she held out her hand. "I've been thinking about this all afternoon."

Arthur was more than happy to hand it over to her and she turned to the next chapter to read out, "**Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall**."


	11. The Writing on the Wall

**(Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling! I own nothing)**

**Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall**

Arthur was more than happy to hand it over to her and she turned to the next chapter to read out, "**Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall**."

"Something tells me that I'm not going to enjoy this chapter," Sirius said slowly.

"I don't think you would," Albus said sadly, remembering that this was just the first of several attacks and the start of a sinister year. It pained him to think just how scared his students must have felt during those dark months.

**"What's going on here? What's going on?" **

"Who wants to bet that is Filch?" Tonks asked conversationally. If it was, then those three had better get the hell out of there before he saw his cat and tried to blame them.

**Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror. **

**"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked. **

"Maybe curiosity _did _kill the cat this time," Sirius said quietly, too stunned to come up with a good joke.

"Sirius!" Molly said disdainfully. "Now is not the time to try and make stupid jokes!"

"I was just trying to lighten the mood," he said defensively.

"There is a time and a place," Minerva said on Molly's side. "Now is not one of those times."

"This won't look good for those three," Remus said trying to distract them from yelling at Sirius. "Filch loves that cat and if he sees her like this…"

"Well," Molly said fiercely. "He better not pin the blame on them!"

**And his popping eyes fell on Harry. **

"He's still jumping to conclusions without any real proof," Sirius said shaking his head. "Glad to see he hasn't changed much at all."

**"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-" **

"What?!" Sirius shouted furious. "He better not had laid a hand on Harry or any of them!"

"He never got the chance," Albus said peacefully. "You don't need to worry."

"But I have to say that I just love how he automatically blamed Harry for this," Tonks said bitterly. "Why is it always him?"

"I thought that we already had this figured out. Potter has the worst luck," Moody said simply. They all shifted uncomfortably… yes, Harry really did have terrible luck. But it goes both ways… was that a good thing?

**"Argus!" **

**Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, **

"Thank you!" Sirius cried out unkindly before giving a spiteful look to his old Headmaster. "Finally, you show up when you're needed!"

**followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket. **

**"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger." **

They all looked up at Albus and Tonks asked him quickly, "You didn't really think that he had something to do with all this, did you?"

"No," Dumbledore said calmly. "No, second years could've done this. But I wanted to know why they were there and what they knew."

"Why is it that it's always the three of them who are caught up in the middle of everything?" demanded Molly hotly. They were just kids for crying out loud… they should've had to worry about risking their lives! Hogwarts was supposed to be some of the best years of your life… and here her own children, Harry, and Hermione were suffering. Why did this have to happen?

**Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. **

**"My office is the nearest, Headmaster-just upstairs-please feel free-" **

**"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore. **

"Did I hear right, or did Lockhart actually do something useful?" gasped Sirius in amazement.

"You heard right," Severus said with a sneer. "And it was probably the most useful thing that he ever did."

"He's doing something… right?" Tonks panted. "Ok, now I'm really beginning to think that this is just a fantasy book."

They all laughed at that.

"A fantasy book?" Arthur chortled. "Really Tonks, you have such an active imagination."

**The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape. **

**As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Harry saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. **

"Unbelievable!" Arthur said. "Even his own pictures do their hair! There is no way that man could be right in the head."

"I won't argue with you there," Minerva muttered to herself. "All year I thought that there was something clearly wrong with him."

**The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching. **

**The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. **

Severus glared, of course Potter would notice that. Truthfully, he was looking for a chance to get Potter detention for the next month.

"Oh, I'm sure you were," Sirius said as he glared at Snape. "This was just another chance for you to try and get Harry into trouble! You are just determined to punish him over every little thing!"

"Nothing that he wouldn't have already deserved," Severus said, refusing to look at him or anyone else. Albus could only sigh in disappointment why everyone else groaned in annoyance. He was wishing more than anything that Severus would stop seeing James and start seeing Harry.

**And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions. **

**"It was definitely a curse that killed her **

"Why do I highly doubt that?" Moody growled.

"She's not dead," Remus stated with another eye roll. "She was still there when I taught a year later. This is just another piece of proof that he has _no clue_ on what he's supposed to be teaching about."

**-probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter-curse that would have saved her…." **

Everyone couldn't help but crack up at how stupid Lockhart sounded.

"There is no such thing as Transmogrifian Torture," Minerva sighed.

"He always was a terrible liar," Albus said with a light chuckle.

"If you knew that he was making it all up," Tonks asked him, "Why would you hire an idiot like him in the first place? You could've done someone a lot better than Lockhart!"

Albus could only smile sadly. "If I could've I would've. But he was the only person who applied for the job."

Severus glared at him.

"Ok," Albus said, noticing the glare. "The second man. But if I let you teach Defense Against The Dark Arts that year, I wouldn't have a Potions Master."

**Lockhart's comments were punctured by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as he detested Filch, Harry couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as he felt for himself. If Dumbledore believed Filch, he would be expelled for sure. **

"I didn't," Albus assured Sirius's furious look. "Like I said, I knew that three second years could've possibly done this. But they were found at the scene of the crime, and I needed to know why."

**Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened: She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed. **

"Hmph," said Moody. "From the sounds of it, I would guess that she was petrified."

"Petrified?" repeated Tonks in confusion.

"I thought that you were supposed to be an Auror," Mad-Eye said as he had his magical eye turned to her in frustration. "You're supposed to know about this stuff. Petrification is the process of being turned to stone. Victims of petrification become paralyzed and unmovable like they're nothing but statues. The only remedy I know for petrification is a draught made of Mandrake roots."

"Well said, Alastor," Albus said as he clapped lightly. "I wish that you could've taught during this year."

**"…I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadogou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to probide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…." **

"I'm sure it was," Severus said scathingly before adding under his breath, "And I'm a pink unicorn with silver wings."

**The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net. **

They all laughed at that.

"What a pansy," Sirius sniggered. No wonder girls were crazy for him. "For the love of Merlin, you couldn't have picked a more girly man."

**At last Dumbledore straightened up. **

**"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly. **

**Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented. **

"That shouldn't be too difficult," Tonks stated sarcastically. "He doesn't even need to start!"

**"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all - all stiff and frozen?" **

**"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore **

"Wow, looks like you're right Mad-Eye," Remus said as Tonks said to herself, "As always."

**("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). **

Remus let out a shout of laugher, while Sirius snorted, "Oh, yeah right."

"Yes," Minerva said with her eyebrow twitching whether in amusement or annoyance it was impossible to say. "I'm sure you did. Especially since you were talking about how you thought she was dead."

"I don't know how you could stand being stuck in the same room with him," Tonks said exasperatedly to the three teachers, "I probably would have cursed him during the first day."

"Oh, believe me," Severus snarled. "We all felt the same way."

"But I'm afraid that it wouldn't have looked good if the teachers were seen attack a fellow—_teacher_," Albus said, though he seemed to have had to choke out the last word.

**"But how, I cannot say…." **

"Oh, I think you do know," Sirius snarled at the Headmaster.

"Now Sirius," Albus said holding up his hands. "It was too early to say what was happening."

"What further proof did you need?" Molly yelled. "There was a threatening message written on the wall telling you what was happening! Why couldn't you have done anything about it?!"

Sirius thought that it was such a nice changed hearing Molly shout at someone other than himself. Dumbledore gave her a sad look and said, rather feebly. "Molly… believe me. If there was anything I could've done to prevent this I would've done it. But I swear, until Harry came to me with the diary, I had no idea how Voldemort was doing all this."

"Voldemort!?" Sirius shouted in horror. They both jumped, temporary forgetting that there were others in the room.

"What does he have anything to do with this?" he demanded.

"Everything," Albus said to him. "It's difficult to explain… I'm not sure I can explain it as well as the book will. Just know that whatever you hear from this point on is Voldemort's doing."

Sirius looked like he was about to start shouting again, but realized that he wouldn't be getting anywhere and just sat back with his arms folding, giving them all a malicious look, as though daring them to say something that would take back those words.

**"Ask him!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry. **

**"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-" **

"Looks like you're useful for something," growled Sirius. He better had done a better job of protecting Harry this year than the first.

**"He did it, he did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what he wrote on the wall!" He found-in my office - he knows I'm a – I'm a -" Filch's face worked horribly. "He knows I'm a Squib!" he finished. **

"What does him being a Squib have to do with any of this?" Tonks asked exasperated.

**"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly, uncomfortable aware of everyone looking at him, including all the Lockharts on the walls. "And I don't even know what a Squib is." **

**"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "He saw my Kwikspell letter!" **

**"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Harry's sense of forboding increased; he was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do him any good. **

Sirius rolled his eyes as he shot a dirty look at Snape. There was no way in hell that this was going to be good for the trio.

**"Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, **

"Are you telling me that you were actually defending them?" Sirius gasped in shock. This did not sound like the Snape that he knew and loathed. He couldn't believe that the man actually had a heart in there somewhere.

**a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?" **

"Oh, that makes much more sense. Now you're back to being a git," Sirius snarled. He knew that it was too good to be true.

"You would know wouldn't you, Black?" he sneered.

Sirius gave him a very long look before saying very calmly, "I really don't like you."

"Believe me," Severus said just as calmly. "The feeling is mutual."

Everyone else was surprised at how calm their argument was. Just what was happening with these two? Before, they couldn't get through a single day without shouting at each other.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. "…there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there-" **

**"But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?" **

"Oh, for the love of…" Molly shouted. "Just leave them alone! You know that they didn't do it so why are you so desperate to get them into trouble?"

"They better think of a good excuse," Remus said worriedly.

**Ron and Hermione looked at Harry. **

**"Because-because-" Harry said, his heart was thumping very fast; something told him it would sound very far-fetched if he told them he told them he had been led there by a bodiless voice no one but he could hear, "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," he said. **

"That's it?" Sirius gasped. "That's it? They'll never believe that!"

"We didn't," Severus said.

**"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties." **

**"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble. **

"Sure they were. Ron sure made their argument very convincing," Sirius laughed. "They need to work on better excuses."

Molly smiled, "Doesn't really matter if his stomach rumbled or not. Ron has always been hungry no matter what time of day it is."

"Really?" Remus chuckled as he shared a quick glance at Sirius. "I wonder who that reminds me of."

**Snape's nasty smile widened. **

**"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest." **

"WHAT?! OF ALL THE CRAP I'VE EVER HEARD… NO YOU WILL NOT!" Sirius yelled angrily at Severus, sounding like his old self again. "What? You think that the damn cat was petrified with a broom or something?!"

"Sirius, don't worry!" Minerva said. "Harry wasn't taken off the team!"

"Like they would've taken away such a good player," Tonks said in a comforting tone. Really, Sirius's mood swings were keeping them all on their toes.

Sirius was breathing fast as if he had just run a mile. He didn't dare say anything else. He was trying hard to be a better person. But it was getting very difficult with Snape's gloating face taunting him. His hands twitched longingly to punch him in the face… no, he would save all his hatred for the Durselys later on.

**"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong." **

If there was anything to brighten Sirius's mood—it was that. He couldn't help but laugh. Everyone was looking at him unnerved by his all of his changing moods… this was entertaining to say the least.

**Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. His twinkling light-blue gaze made Harry feel as though he were being X-rayed. **

**"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly. **

"Really?" Remus asked sadly, thinking about Harry's wrongful hearing at the Ministry. Honestly, giving a kid a full criminal court just for a case of underage magic? "These days it's more like _guilty until proven innocent_."

**Snape looked furious. So did Filch. **

**"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!" **

**"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professer Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris." **

**"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-" **

"That's funny. I thought that _I_ was the Potions master," Severus hissed.

"No, please tell me that you didn't let him make it!" Molly screeched to Dumbledore. "That potion is much too difficult and that idiot will never be able to do it correctly."

**"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school." **

**There was a very awkward pause. **

"Thank you!" Arthur cried out. "Lockhart must've realized that if he made the potion then that cat would've been better off petrified."

"Nah," Tonks laughed. "I bet Lockhart is really scared of Snape and didn't dare reply even if he knew a thing or two about potions."

Severus smirked in agreement.

**"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. **

**They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. Harry squinted at his friends' darkened faces. **

**"D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?" **

"That might not have been the best idea," Sirius said. Harry had enough reasons for people to stare at him… if people knew that he was hearing voice that only he could hear wouldn't have helped.

**"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." **

"Maybe he should've waited and told you in private, Dumbledore," Remus said quietly. "I'm sure that he would've felt better if he knew that you believed him. Maybe you could've helped him in some way and it would have helped you figure out what was going on."

"I already had my suspicions of what was going on already," Dumbledore said softly. "But I do wish he did tell me."

"Wait," Tonks said thinking hard as she held out a hand. "On one hand, he really should tell somebody about the voice. But on the other hand…" she trailed off as she held up her second hand and started to weight the problems.

"On the other hand people would probably think he was going mad," Sirius finished for her. "Hearing voices nobody else can hear… I mean, even in the Wizarding world…"

"Tough choice," Moody said grumpily. "Tell them and have them all think that you're mental, or keep it quiet and have them suspecting that you're hiding something."

"What would you have done?" Tonks asked curiously.

He shrugged. "Everyone already thinks I'm mad so it wouldn't have mattered if I told them or not."

**Something in Ron's voice made Harry ask, "You do believe me, don't you?" **

**"'Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But-you must admit it's weird…." **

**"I know it's weird," said Harry. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened….What's that supposed to mean?" **

**"And what on earth's a Squib?" said Harry. **

**To his surprise, Ron stifled a snigger. **

"Squibs aren't something to laugh about," Minerva scolded while Sirius snickered.

"I know," he chortled. "I know it's not ha-ha funny, but what makes it funny is that it's Filch that's a Squib. No wonder he hated us so much."

"That's not the reason," Remus laughed. "It was because we made his life so much more difficult when we were around."

"Either way you look at it," Sirius said grinning. "Same thing."

**"Well-it's not funny really-but as it's Filch," he said. "A squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't for any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic form a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter." **

**A clock chimed somewhere. **

**"Midnight," said Harry. "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else." **

"You would've tried to do that wouldn't you?" Sirius asked him coldly. Severus just pretended not to be able to hear him before Sirius said dully, "Once again, Halloween isn't much of a party for Harry is it?"

**For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Harry had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess remover, but to not effect; the words still gleamed the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "_breathing loudly" _and _"looking happy."_ **

"Ok, he's finally lost his mind," Sirius said. "Things must've gotten bad."

**Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris' fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover. **

"Of course she would be disturbed," Molly whimpered. She could only imagine how terrible this year must've been for her daughter. Not knowing what has happening… slowly realizing that maybe you were doing these attacks and not knowing why you couldn't remember what was happening. The fear must've slowly eaten away at her…

She started to cry.

"Hey," Tonks said quickly, misunderstanding the tears. "I know it's a sad thing, but it's just an old cat that no one likes. Everyone says that she'll be alright!"

"Unfortunately," Severus muttered under his own breath. He really hated that cat.

**"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in not time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking-" Ron added hastily as Ginny blanched. **

"Nice big brother," Moody said gruffly.

"He shouldn't have said that to her," Minerva said sadly. Being one of the only few people who knew that it was Ginny Weasley being forced to do all this.

"But it would be great if Filch got petrified," Sirius said before saying quickly, "I'm only joking."

"You two really are more alike than I first thought," Remus told him shaking his head. "You both love to eat, and neither one of you have any tact."

"Oi!" Sirius began indigently.

**The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could Harry and Ron get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out. **

"Homework?" Sirius suggested innocently.

**Harry had been held back in Potions, where Snape had made him stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks. After a hurried lunch, he went upstairs to meet Ron in the library, and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming toward him. Harry had just opened his mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of him, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction. **

"What's that about?" Molly asked worriedly. "I mean that it was rude but…"

"He's Muggleborn," Remus replied glumly. He couldn't believe just how quickly that people turned against Harry without any real proof.

"You're point?" Sirius said, clearly not getting it.

Remus sighed again before answering, "And who do we know was found at the first attack?"

Sirius blinked before he growled at the teachers asking, "They all think Harry did it?"

They nodded. Albus and Minerva in sadness and disappointment at their students, and Severus in disbelief. Like he thought that there was no possible way that Harry Potter could've had the brains or the power to do it.

**Harry found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three-foot-long composition on _"The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards." _**

**"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short…." Said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny." **

"That girl isn't normal," Sirius whispered.

**"Where is she?" asked Harry, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling his own homework. **

**"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas." **

**Harry told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from him. **

**"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great-" **

"I agree with that," Sirius said, thinking about a girl fawning over a pretty boy like Lockhart, he could understand… but a boy? Come on…

**Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them. **

**"All the copies of _Hogwarts, A History_ have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books." **

"Why bring them then?" Tonks demanded. "There's just dead weight. I say that she should've left them at home. I'm sure that she already had them all memorized by now anyway."

"Fair point," Remus agreed, it would've have surprised him at all if she did.

**"Why do you want it?" said Harry. **

**"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets." **

"Oh, of course," Severus said. "She would be reading up on it."

"You say that her wanting to learn is a bad thing Severus," Albus asked him coolly.

**"What's that?" said Harry quickly. **

**"That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else-" **

"Finally," Sirius laughed in amazement, "We finally find something that Hermione didn't remember."

"Be nice," Arthur said, though he too was smiling.

**"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch. **

**"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it-" **

"She better not have let them cheat," Minerva said, suddenly stern. If there was one thing that she didn't approve of, it was cheating.

**"I only need another two inches, come on-" **

**The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering. **

**History of Magic was the dullest subject on their schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard. Ancient and shriveled, many people said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since. **

"That is dedication," Sirius said wisely. "Coming back as a ghost just to teach. Well, at least you don't have to worry about finding another History of Magic teacher."

"Who, other than a ghost would want to teach that class?" Tonks asked thoughtfully.

**Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to enough to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep again. He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. Hermione put up her hand. **

Sirius, Tonks, and Arthur all felt their jaws drop. "Hermione interrupted a teacher in the middle of a lesson? I never knew that she had it in her!"

"I would tend to disagree with that," Severus said heatedly, thinking of all the times that he was interrupted by the girl when he was the middle of teaching a class.

**Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed. **

**"Miss-er-?" **

**"Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice. **

"I like Hermione more and more every chapter," Sirius smirked.

**Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms and Neville Longbottom's elbow slipped off his desk. **

**Professor Binns blinked. **

"I don't think anyone has paid so much attention in one of his classes before," Sirius said, wishing he could've seen the look on Binns's face.

"I don't blame him for being so surprised," Tonks whispered impressed.

**"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat with a small noise like chalk snapping and continued, "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers-" **

**He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again. **

**"Miss Grant?" **

"She just said her name a second ago," Molly said. "Why can't he ever get names right?"

"That's always been one of his flaws," Albus laughed. Most of the time Binns would forget that Albus was the Headmaster and think that he was still the Transfiguration teacher. "He can remember dates and times without any problems at all, but when it comes to names, he keeps remembering students that he already taught instead of the ones he's teaching right now."

"That means that he'll be calling some kids in the future our names right?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"Most likely," Albus nodded.

**"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?" **

**Professor Binns was looking at her in such amazement, Harry was sure no student had ever interrupted him before, alive or dead. **

"Nope," Sirius said firmly. "I'm willing to bet that no one ever has."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Albus said. "Students prefer to use that class as a napping period."

"If you know that then why don't you get them to pay attention?!" Minerva and Molly snapped at him. He held up his hands in defense and said, "I don't blame them. I myself find that it's almost impossible to stay awake in that class for long."

Muttering angrily to herself, Minerva just decided to keep reading.

**"Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He peered at Hermione as though he had never seen a student properly before. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale-" **

"Anything would be better than listening to some dumb facts!" Sirius cried out. He couldn't remember anything from History of magic, except how peaceful it was for him to catch up on his sleep.

**But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's every word. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his. Harry could tell he was completely thrown by such an unusual show of interest. **

**"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see… the Chamber of Secrets… **

**"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago-the precise date is uncertain-by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor **

"The first and the best!" Sirius said proudly, and the other Gryffindors smiled with him.

**Helga Hufflepuff, **

"You go girl!" Tonks said fiercely.

**Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution." **

**He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued. **

**"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school." **

"Good, who wants a walking snake to teach at the school," Sirius mumbled under his breath.

**Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise. **

Tonks snorted at the description.

**"Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said. "But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. **

**"Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic." **

"That's just pure evil," Tonks growled, not believing that anyone could be this heartless. "I can't believe someone would actually do that."

"Yeah," Sirius said angrily. "Some of the smartest witches are Muggle-borns! Look at Lily and Hermione!"

No one, not even Snape could disagree with him on that.

**There was a silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't the usual, sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes. There was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed. **

"He was annoyed that his students were interested in what he had to say and actually paying attention in his class?" Arthur demanded, it's just so hard to find decent teachers these days.

**"That whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible." **

_'If only,'_ Albus thought sadly.

**Hermione's hand was back in the air. **

**"Sir-what exactly do you mean by the _'horror within'_ the Chamber?" **

"What else?" Sirius asked bitterly. "Some kind of monster."

**"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice. **

**The class exchanged nervous looks. **

**"I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster." **

"Just because you never found it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist!" Tonks cried out.

**"But, sir," said Seamus Finnigan, "if the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?" **

**"Nonsense, O'Flaherty," **

"O'Flaherty? Where did he come up with that name?" Sirius snorted.

**said Professor Binns in an aggravated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing-" **

"But if only Slytherin's heir could find it, then they wouldn't have been able to open it," Remus said. "It could be hidden in plain sight and no one would know."

"Besides," Moody exclaimed bored. "If they were Slytherin's heir, do you actually think they'd be spreading that tasty little tidbit around?"

**"But, Professor," piped up Parvati Patil, "you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it-" **

**"Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," **

"These names are getting farther and farther away," Sirius said shaking his head.

**snapped Professor Binns. "I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore-" **

**"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't-" began Dean Thomas, but Professor Binns had had enough. **

**"That will do," he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!" **

**An within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usual torpor. **

"Well," Tonks said cheerfully. "That has to be the most interesting History of Magic class I've ever heard."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "And probably the last time that _interesting_ and _History of Magic_ will ever be used in the same sentence."

**"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told Harry and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home…." **

"Well," Arthur said slowly. "I guess I can kinda understand his way of thinking." When he noticed the stunned and disbelieving looks on everyone's faces, he went on, "If you really stop to think about it, Slytherin started this Pureblood mania back during the time of witch burnings and magic was feared. Muggles in those days tried to destroy anything that had anything to do with magic. I guess I can see why he would feel like Muggle-borns couldn't be trusted even if it's wrong."

They all let that sink in for a moment, not liking it, but having to agree with that bit of information.

"But still," Minerva said stubbornly. "It doesn't excuse him for starting all this ridiculous blood scare."

**Hermione nodded fervently, but Harry didn't say anything. His stomach had just dropped unpleasantly. **

**Harry had never told Ron and Hermione that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting him in Slytherin. **

"Yeah, but that doesn't matter because it didn't!" Sirius said happily.

**He could remember, as though it were yesterday, the small voice that had spoken in his ear when he'd placed the hat on his head a year before: You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that…. **

"Maybe…" Remus said. "But it also said that he could've done well in any of the houses."

"Not that it matters," Sirius said with a smile. "He ended up in Gryffindor where he belongs."

"Hmph, like I would want Potter in my house," Severus snarled. Having that noble brat in Slytherin would just be one of greatest shame in his opinion.

**But Harry, who had already heard of Slytherin House's reputation for turning out Dark wizards, had thought desperately, Not Slytherin! And the hat had said, Oh, well, if you're sure…better be Gryffindor…. **

**As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin Creevey went past.**

"Oh, brother," Sirius grumbled. "Him again. Can't he go bother someone else?"

**"Hiya, Harry!" **

**"Hullo, Colin," said Harry automatically. **

**"Harry-Harry-a boy in my class has been saying you're-" **

"What?" Molly asked, "What are people saying about him?"

"Doesn't say," Minerva confirmed.

**But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you, Harry!" and he was gone. **

**"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered. **

**"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," said Harry, **

"You have got to be kidding me," Sirius snarled, getting angry again. "Anyone would know that the Potter line is only related to the Slytherin line through marriage. Not by blood. Harry Potter… the Boy-Who-Lived… a Gryffindor… with a Muggle-born for a mother and for a best friend… Slytherin's heir? Don't these kids have any common sense?"

They all stared at his speech for a moment. Arthur applauded, "Well said, Sirius. Couldn't have said better myself."

He blinked before he made a fake bow. "Thank you… thank you all."

**his stomach dropping another inch of so as he suddenly remembered the Justin Finch-Fletchley had ran away from him at lunchtime. **

**"People here'll believe anything," said Ron in disgust. **

**The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty. **

**"D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione. **

**"I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be - well - human." **

"That's because it wasn't a human who was doing all this," Albus said quietly. "Or rather, the one behind it was no longer human."

"Did you say something, Dumbledore?" Remus asked him.

Albus merely shook his head. "No, it's nothing."

**As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber of Secrets has been Opened." **

**"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered. **

**They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted. **

**"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Harry, dropping his bag and getting to his hands and knees so that he could crawl along, searching for clues. **

Minerva and Molly both groaned. "Really," Molly whimpered. "Why do they feel the need to do something about this? They're just kids!"

"Kids who did a lot more than any of us," Albus told her.

"You mean to tell me that they figured all this out when you… Albus Dumbledore couldn't," Sirius repeated, both horrified and awed.

"I'm only human," Dumbledore answered wearily. "I do not know everything. And I'm afraid that I just never had these kids's talent for trouble."

"Talent?" Severus snapped, "It's more like a requirement for those three!"

**"Scorch marks!" he said. "Here-and here-" **

**"Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny…." **

**Harry got up and crossed to the window next to the message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside. **

"Really?" Mad-Eye couldn't help but ask. "Now that's strange."

**"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly. **

**"No," said Harry, "have you, Ron? Ron?" **

**He looked over his shoulder. Ron was standing well back and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run. **

"What's wrong?" Tonks asked while some of the others laughed.

"Ron's afraid of spiders," Remus said as he remembered seeing the giant spider that Ron had thought up while he was teaching them about boggarts.

"Really?" Severus asked unimpressed. "Why would that be?"

**"What's up?" said Harry. **

**"I-don't-like-spiders," said Ron tensely. **

**"I never knew that," said Hermione looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times…." **

**"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move…." **

Most of them snickered.

"Poor kid," Sirius said in sympathy.

**Hermione giggled. **

**"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my-my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick….You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and…" **

"Oh, that's why," Tonks spoke in understanding.

"I never understood how Fred was able to do that…" Molly said. "I mean, I know that it was a powerful bit of accidental magic, but still…"

"I think that he knows more than we give him credit for," Arthur said to her, taking her hand.

**He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh. Feeling they had better get off the subject, Harry said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up." **

"At least Harry's got some sense," Molly said happily before she turned to Sirius, "You could learn some lessons from him."

"Do we have to go into this again?" he asked in annoyance.

**"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door." **

**He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned. **

"What?" Sirius asked, looking worried.

**"What's the matter?" said Harry. **

**"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet." **

Sirius smacked himself in the head. "Come on, Ron. Don't do that!"

**"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione, standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look." **

**And ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign, she opened the door. **

"They worked up the courage to actually go into a girls' bathroom?" Remus asked looking impressed.

"That's another thing I'll be having a word with them about," Minerva said disapprovingly.

"But no one goes into Myrtle's bathroom," Tonks said.

"That doesn't excuse them," she disagreed.

**It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom Harry had ever set foot in. Under a large, cracked, spotted mirror were a row of chipped sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull light given off by the stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched and one of them was dangling off its hinges. **

"They better get out of there!" Molly warned. "Even if it's Myrtle's bathroom, they aren't supposed to be in there."

"You make it sound like them going into a girl's bathroom is something they just started doing," Sirius said.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded fiercely.

"Don't you remember?" Sirius said rolling his eyes, "Harry and Ron went into one in first year."

She thought about that for a second before saying briskly, "Yes, but that was to help Hermione. That doesn't count."

**Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the end stall. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?" **

**Harry and Ron went to look. Moaning Myrtle was floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin. **

"**This is a girls' bathroom," she said, eyeing Ron and Harry suspiciously. "They're not girls." **

"I wonder what gave them away," asked Sirius sarcastically.

"Very observant, isn't she?" Moody asked as he still continued to look bored.

**"No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show them how-er-nice it is in here." **

**She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor. **

"Oh, yeah," Tonks said rolling her eyes. "The bathroom's great. It's the one who lives there that's the problem."

**"Ask her if she saw anything," Harry mouthed at Hermione. **

**"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at him. **

**"Nothing," said Harry quickly. "We wanted to ask-" **

**"I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. "I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead-" **

**"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Harry only-" **

**"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!" **

"If she didn't like her life, then why would she come back as a ghost?" Arthur asked confused. When a person died, they usually go on… if they stayed, then they didn't want to leave just yet.

"I'm sure that we'll understand later on," Moody said with a yawn.

**"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outside you front door on Halloween." **

**"Did you see anyone near here that night?" said Harry. **

**"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. **

"Hah! I wonder how that worked out for her?" snorted Sirius, really, how could she actually think that she could kill herself?

**Then, of course, I remembered that I'm-that I'm-" **

**"Already dead," said Ron helpfully. **

Sirius burst out laughing.

"There is a thing that we call tact, Sirius," Molly snapped at him. "You really need to learn some."

"But it's funny!"

"I hate to see your idea of grim," she said to herself.

**Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend. **

**Harry and Ron stood with their mouths open, but Hermione shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle….Come on, let's go." **

Moody leaned back and thought about this. Other than the fact that she's haunting a bathroom, there was something very strange about Moaning Myrtle. It's highly unusual for a ghost to be able to move solid objects—even water. What gives Myrtle this ability? As for this mystery about the Chamber—there's not much to go on except some spiders and a high-strung ghost.

**Harry had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all three of them jump. **

**"RON!" **

**Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face. **

**"That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped. **

"Really?" Tonks asked mockingly. "Geez, I didn't notice."

**"What were you-" **

**"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know-" **

**Percy swelled in a manner that reminded Harry forcefully of Mrs. Weasley. **

Molly sniffled at that thought. Arthur wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a comforting manner. They'll pull through… they always have done and they always will.

**"Get-away-from-there-" Percy said, striding toward them and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms. "Don't you care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner-" **

"As much as I hate to say it," Remus said slowly. "He's got a good point. It really wouldn't look good if they were found there again."

Sirius groaned before saying harshly, "If you ask me, he should really mind his own business. And what is he doing there anyway? Shouldn't he be at dinner too?"

"He's a prefect," Severus said annoyed. "He doesn't think that anyone would attack him."

"How can you be so arrogant that…" he shut up immediately, afraid of saying anything that would upset Molly and Arthur any more.

**"Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short and glaring at Percy. "Listen, we never a finger on that cat!" **

**"That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but she still seems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited by this business-" **

Sirius privately felt that this didn't have anything to do with Ginny and more about himself.

**"You don't care about Ginny," said Ron, whose ears were now reddening. "You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy-" **

"Ah, you can just feel the brotherly love, can't you?" said Tonks sarcastically. Really, she wasn't flabbergasted that Percy fell from the family if he was like this when he was only sixteen.

**"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work, or I'll write to Mum!" **

**And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as Ron's ears. **

"Wow," Sirius said, "So even back then he was a real stickler for rules and punishments." But he really wished that he didn't say anything, Molly looked like she was about to cry all over again.

"Oh, no… Molly," he said quickly. "I didn't mean… I wasn't thinking…"

She just waved her hand down at him and just shook her head while Arthur was looking like he wanted to break something.

"It's ok," she sniffled. "I know that he's always loved rules and being in charge. I just never thought that he would…" she just looked at her husband for support in a helpless sort of way. Really, did Percy want power that much? To be able to get respect and be in charge even if it meant that he had to give up his family? She thought that she knew him… but now she didn't know what to do anymore. Her old fear of something happening to her someday during this and not being able to make up with him was starting to overwhelm her.

Arthur just quietly asked Minerva to keep reading, hoping that they could put Percy out of their minds. He was wondering where he went wrong. Why did this have to happen to his own son?

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione chose seats as far as possible from Percy in the common room that night. Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ shut. To Harry's surprise, Hermione followed suit. **

"That is a surprise," Tonks said taken aback. "She's the kind of person who wouldn't put down her homework down unless it was something important."

"Then this must be important," Albus said, eager to learn what they do here.

**"Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?" **

"Basically every Slytherin in the school?" suggested Sirius, earning another glare from Snape. "So that might make things a little tricky."

**"Let's think," said Ron in a mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?" **

**He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced. **

**"If you're talking about Malfoy-" **

**"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You've heard him- 'You'll be next, Mudbloods!'- come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him-" **

"Somehow I just can't see that," Tonks said. "It doesn't seem like Malfoy's style to do all this on his own."

"Yeah, he would want someone else to do the job for him," Remus agreed. He and Tonks both began talking about the possibilities, not even noticing the pale looks on the Weasleys and the teachers faces.

Sirius on the other hand was on Ron's side. "I agree with Ron. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Malfoy who was behind all this. I'm sure that he'd love to help create an all-Pureblood school."

"Well in that case, there won't be too many students to worry about. There are hardly any Purebloods left," Minerva said in disgust.

"That would be depressing," Albus said thinking of large and empty school. No laughter, no talking in the corridors, not even any pranks being pulled on the teachers… that was not his idea of a school.

**"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione skeptically. **

**"Look at his family," said Harry, closing his books, too. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough." **

"They make some good points," Sirius said. "Lucius is definitely evil enough."

"You can say that again," Arthur said so fiercely that they stared at him. "Ah, Arthur?" Sirius asked uncharacteristically timid. "Is there something that you want to share with the rest of the class?"

He looked around at the others and saw the weeping face of Molly, and the stony expressions of the teachers. They all knew something that the rest of them didn't and he was tired of all these secrets. "Can someone tell me what the hell you all know?"

Nobody said a word, they all looked to Dumbledore, who hesitated. Finally the old man decided on the truth… or at least a small bit of it.

"Sirius, Remus, Dora, Alastor…" he began quietly.

"Dora?" Tonks muttered bitterly under her breath but didn't interrupt this time.

"This year was difficult for everyone," he said. "The Chamber of Secrets was indeed opened and there were several attacks on the students before this whole crisis was solved. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the ones who stopped it. How they did it, like I said, there is no possible way I could explain it as well as the book will. I'm sorry, but it's hard for me to find the right words for it for I'm not sure that we know everything that happened during this year. Just know that this was all Voldemort's doing. He was the one that caused all this fear and danger that year."

Sirius glared at them all along with the other three who didn't know what happened that year. It didn't take long for him to muster up all the anger and rage he felt for Voldemort. For killing his friends, his true family—the two that he loved as if they were his brother and sister and for putting his godson in danger time and time again… how could anyone be so evil?

But he was feeling resentment for one other person in the room.

"Why does everything you say make me want to bash your face in?" he asked Dumbledore sourly. He now thought that he had a pretty good idea to how Harry felt about being left in the dark.

**"They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son…" **

_'No,'_ thought Dumbledore sadly. _'But not a bad guess I suppose.'_

**"Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible…." **

**"But how do we prove it?" said Harry darkly. **

**"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect-" **

**"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably. **

**"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions with him realizing it's us." **

"She says that like its simple!" scoffed Minerva, wondering what on earth was going through one of her favorite student's head.

"It's not possible," said Severus confidently. "Even if they could get in, they don't know where the common room is hidden."

"Oh, no, there is a way!" cried Tonks excitedly, her eyes brightened in anticipation.

"Really?" demanded Sirius eagerly. "How?"

"Some Polyjuice Potion would work just like that!" she answered as she snapped her fingers to prove her point.

"Oh, yeah, because all second years students know about Polyjuice Potion, right?" Sirius snorted. "_And _how to make it! But it would be cool if they did try it."

"Oh, that's right," sighed Tonks in disappointment. "Too bad. I would've loved to see them pull that off"

**"But that's impossible," Harry said as Ron laughed. **

**"No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion." **

They all stared at the book. No one, not even Dumbledore knew about this.

"No way," Remus exclaimed astounded. "There is no way…"

Molly kept working her mouth like he forgot how to speak, "No, you can't be serious… they could've… For Merlin's sake, they're only second years! Brewing Polyjuice potion at the age of twelve?"

"There's no way they could've pulled that off!" said Severus, looking stunned. "Not even I could make such a complicated potion during second year. There is no way that they could've done it, I'm sure of it. It's an N.E.W.T potion for crying out loud."

"Actually, I like the way that idea," Moody said, finally looking interested. These kids truly had a future in the Auror office later on.

"Oh, Merlin!" Minerva called out. "And brewing the potion is only half the battle. Where could they possibly get the ingredients?! And you all know the consequences if the potion goes wrong!" She went back to reading, desperate to know what happens, hoping that this was just a crazy suggestion.

**"What's that?" said Ron and Harry together. **

**"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago-" **

**"D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron. **

Severus glared at the book, since he couldn't do it to Weasley.

**"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him." **

**"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?" **

Sirius shuddered at the very thought. That was one of his worst nightmares.

**"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called _Moste Potente Potions_ and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library." **

**There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permissions for a teacher. **

"Too bad," Sirius said. He was torn… he would've loved to have been given the chance to do this. He was only sorry that he and James never thought of it when they were at school… but if it meant putting Harry in unnecessary danger… He didn't' want his godson involved in something like this.

**"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions." **

**"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…." **

**"Oh, come one, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick…." **

"Unless it's Lockhart," Remus said shrewdly guessing what they do next.

"You think?" Sirius asked him quickly.

"Who else?" Moody asked with a grin. "If he's going to be their teacher, they might as well use him for something useful!"

"But Albus, this is going too far!" Minerva said trembling at the idea that her Gryffindors would put themselves at risk like this.

"Why would you say that?" Moody asked with an evil grin. "I like the way these kids think."

"They're children, making an illegal potion to sneak into another house common room!" Molly shouted hysterically, "They'll end up in Mungo's for sure if they try to go through with this!"

"We don't know that they did this for certain!" Albus shouted to make himself heard. "They might just be talking about it, they might never have had a chance to go through with it."

"Besides, did manage to save the Sorcerer's stone their first year," Moody remarked. "I think making a difficult and illegal potion would seem like a walk in the park for them."

"Harry was almost killed in his first year!" Sirius called out angrily. "I don't want him having to risk his life like that again!"

"Padfoot down," Remus tried to reason with him. "Everyone… this already happened. We can't really do anything about it now can we?"

They all thought of that for a moment before Minerva held out the book and asked, "Who's reading next?"

No one answered, but then Molly said, "I think… I think I will, I need something to do anyway." She accepted the book and read out in a shaky voice, "**Chapter 10: The Rouge Bludger**."


	12. The Rogue Bludger

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger**

No one answered, but then Molly said, "I think… I think I will, I need something to do anyway." She accepted the book and read out in a shaky voice, "**Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger**."

She froze as she said those three little words. What on earth could've possibly happened now? Sirius must've been thinking along those lines as well because he asked softly but his eyes were flashing dangerously, "What do you mean by _Rogue _Bludger?"

"That's just what it says!" she said back worriedly.

"I take it that this must be the first Quidditch match of the season," Tonks suggested. "But why would there be a Rogue Bludger?"

They turned to the teachers who were all looked a little uncomfortable.

"Well?" Remus asked slowly, dreading the answer. Quidditch games were supposed to be fun, not life-threatening! Can't Harry ever catch a break?

None of the teachers seemed to want to answer, so Molly, in a panic, went on quickly.

**Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. **

"Now there's a smart move," Remus said grimly. "There's no point brining creatures to class if you can't even control them."

"Well, if you want to think like that, then that means that Black never should've gone to class," Severus said silkily.

Instead of being insulted, Sirius laughed. "That's true, no classroom can hold me!"

"Don't I know it," Minerva muttered in Albus's ear, who chuckled merrily.

Snape's lip curled in frustration while Tonks said, "I think Lockhart should've done everyone a favor and just cancelled all his classes. I think that the students would've learned more from a troll than from him."

**Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and** **sometimes** **reenacted some of the more dramatic bits. **

"What?" Arthur and Sirius demanded infuriated.

"I know," Minerva sighed. "I doubt any of the students learnt a thing while he was there."

"I think I rather take on the pixies every class period than deal with Lockhart," Moody stated comfortably. "At least then you would get some on-hand experience."

"I rather take the pixies if it meant that I wouldn't have to hear Lockhart's voice," Tonks sighed as she popped a stick of Droobles Best Blowing Gum into her mouth.

**He usually picked Harry to help him with these reconstructions;**

"Oh, come on!" Sirius sighed. "Why Harry? What did he do to deserve this?"

**so** **far, Harry had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.**

"Oh, the poor kid," Sirius groaned again as Severus smirked. "That must've been humiliating."

"He should just be glad that they didn't have that class with any Slytherins," Moody exclaimed. "He'd never hear the end of it."

**Harry was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defense** **Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a werewolf. **

"This should be good," Remus said with a melancholy smile.

"I hope he did a good imitation of you, Moony," Sirius grinned.

**If he hadn't had a very good reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, he would have refused to do it.**

**"Nice loud howl, Harry-exactly-and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced - like this - _slammed _him to the floor - thus - with** **one** **hand,** **I managed to hold him down - with my other, I put my wand to his throat -I then screw up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Hormorphus Charm - he let out a piteous moan - go on,** **Harry - higher than that - good **- **the fur vanished - the fangs shrank - and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective - and another village will remember me forever as the hero who ****delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."**

Remus couldn't contain himself. He burst out laughing, looking cheerier than he had been looking all book. He roared with so much laughter that everyone else stared at him with startled expressions on their faces. "Sorry," he laughed. "But there is no way that one human could hold a fully-grown werewolf down by himself. You can't just slam one to the ground and hold him with one hand unless you were as strong as Hagrid."

Sirius, who was also laughing, added, "Even when I'm Padfoot, I have trouble keeping him in check. If that's not a sign that he's lying, I don't know what is."

**The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.**

**"Homework-compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of _Magical Me _to the author of the best one!"**

That stopped the laughing. They were all staring at the book in disbelief. "A… poem?" Remus repeated, astonished. "He made them write a poem about himself?"

"A poem? That's it?" asked Minerva incredulously, "They are supposed to learn how to defend themselves not poetry!"

"Yes, learning defense is part of _Defense Against the Dark Arts_," Albus said, not knowing to laugh or not.

"Who here wants to bet that Granger won?" Severus asked in disgust.

"I'm surprised that these kids weren't killed long ago," Moody exclaimed. "If they had teachers like this, they don't stand a snowflake's chance in hell in a war."

**The class began to leave. Harry returned to the back of the room, where Ron and Hermione were waiting.**

**"Ready?" Harry muttered.**

**"Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right..."**

Most of the room felt their jaws drop. Mad-Eye was looking very impressed, and Albus was smiling broadly. Everyone else looked either awed or stunned that they were actually going to ask Lockhart.

"You mean to tell me…" Molly said crookedly. "That they are _really_ going through with it?"

"They're really going to try," Moody said, with one of his ominous smiles.

"I'm sure that they'll try," Severus said as he shut his own jaw and folded his arms stubbornly. "But there is no way that they'll succeed."

"Severus," Albus said with his eyebrows raised. "You underestimate you're students."

"How can you possibly be supporting them?" Molly half shrieked.

"If they didn't do this," Albus said with a small smile. "They might not have solved this mystery. Besides, we don't know for sure what happened…"

Molly couldn't think of a good comeback so just stared at him incredulously, trying to decide if this was right or not.

"But how on earth are they going to actually make it?" Minerva asked, raising her eyebrows. "First of all, they'll need a place to brew it and I don't think Severus is going to let them use the dungeons."

"I wouldn't," Severus growled. "Even if they were making a simple potion."

"I'm sure you would've let some of your Slytherins do it," Sirius muttered venomously. But Minerva then went on, "And there's the fact that this potion is extremely advanced! I don't think basic potions ingredients will be enough! I can't believe that they're even going to attempt it!"

**She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, Harry and Ron right behind her.**

**"Er-Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to - to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held** **out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it - I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in _Gadding with Ghouls _about slow-acting venoms -"**

"You know," Remus said thoughtfully. "That is a pretty good tactic for getting a signature from a teacher…"

"Yeah," agreed Sirius. "Especially, if you have a dense one like Lockhart. Just praise his books and the idiot's bound to let them do anything."

"Yeah and…" Tonks laughed. "From what I've heard of him, sounds like he doesn't care what it is, as long as he can sign his name on something, he'll sign anything."

**"Ah, _Gadding with Ghouls_!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling** **widely at her. "Possibly my very favorite book. You enjoyed it?"**

"You mean to tell me that he really did just sign something for those three without even looking at what book they wanted?" Severus muttered. "Just when I thought that this idiot couldn't become even dumber."

"Good news for them though," Remus smiled.

**"Oh, yes," said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer -"**

"A tea-strainer?" repeated Remus with his eyebrows raised.

"How do you use a tea-strainer for anything besides for tea?" Arthur asked skeptically.

**"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron's face. "I usually save it for book-signings."**

"A peacock quill?" Sirius asked. "How can you write with a peacock quill? You know, it sounds like something Malfoy would use."

No one, not even Severus could disagree, they all knew of Lucius's obsession with peacocks.

"How can you misread a revolted look? I would think that they be easy to tell apart," Remus pointed out.

"The guy can't see anything besides what's in a mirror," Tonks stated in a mock suffering voice which caused them to laugh.

**He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back** **to Hermione.**

**"So, Harry," said Lockhart, while Hermione folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. **

"No, you weren't," Sirius scoffed. "He can't even fly two feet off the ground without hurting himself!"

**I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark** **Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players..."**

"He was _not_ a seeker!" Sirius yelled. He couldn't believe this idiot! He was almost foaming at the mouth with outrage. "And my godson is not less abled than _you!_ If you're so great then why aren't you the youngest player in a century? What I wouldn't give to get hold of your fat head Lockhart and…"

Remus put his hands on Sirius's shoulders. "Padfoot? It's ok. We all know that Lockhart's lying through his teeth, and besides, he doesn't teach there anymore."

"Yeah, I think we can all agree that Harry's flying abilities far surpass Lockhart and most others," Minerva said. "Why else would I want him on the team? But if you keep carrying on, we're never going to finish this book."

Grumbling, Sirius leaned back and stared at the wall in anger.

**Harry made an indistinct noise in his throat and then hurried off after Ron and Hermione.**

**"I don't believe it," he said as the three of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even _look _at the book we wanted."**

**"That's because he's a brainless _git_," said Ron. **

"I couldn't agree more," Minerva muttered.

"Oh, are you insulting an old colleague now?" Tonks asked in surprise.

"As far as I'm concerned, he was never a colleague, and I am merely stating a fact," said Minerva firmly.

"Lockhart had an ability to make even the most hated rivals and enemies come together for a common goal," Albus couldn't help but chuckle as he glanced at his heads of Gryffindor and Slytherin.

**"But who cares, we've got what we needed -"**

**"He is _not _a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they half ran toward the library.**

"Sure, he is," Sirius laughed. "I don't know how much more proof you need Hermione!"

"Come on, Hermione," said Arthur exasperatedly, "You are supposed to be the brightest witch of your year. I thought that you could see through a simple lie."

"She was only twelve," Molly said fondly of the girl.

**"Just because he said you were the best student of the year-"**

**They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.**

They all started laughing again. "Man, I love my Harry's descriptions—he couldn't be more accurate," Tonks wheezed holding her ribs.

**"_Moste Potente Potions_?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.**

**"I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.**

Sirius was baffled, he really hoped that the girl snapped out of it and would come back to reality soon. Really, did Lockhart confound her or something?

**"Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough."**

**Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a** **forgery,** **but** **it** **passed** **the** **test.** **She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later** **carrying a large and moldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and the left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty.**

"Getting the book was legal, what are they so worried about?" Arthur asked confused.

"Getting the book was legal, but what they plan to do with the book is not," sneered Snape. If only he knew about this back then…

Surprisingly, Albus shook his head and said happily, "Technically, no Severus, brewing Polyjuice potion isn't illegal, it's just that no one ever suspected that second-years would bother to try. So really, they didn't break the law, so there's no reason to punish them."

Severus was looking furious, Sirius grinned at Dumbledore, his opinion of the old man rise just very slightly.

**Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom once again.**

"What? Why are they doing it in there?" Molly asked in surprise.

"It's a good place to hide," Mad-Eye explained. "No one goes in there. No one would bother them or find out what they're up to."

"They shouldn't even be doing it in the first place!" Molly snapped.

**Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.**

**Hermione opened _Moste Potente Potions _carefully, and the three of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.**

Tonks wrinkled her nose while a few others looked slightly sick.

**"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed _The Polyjuice Potion. _It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Harry sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces.**

"Strong discomfort, not pain," Moody amended, having drunk his fair share of the potion.

**"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe.**

"It's a sixth year potion, what do you expect?" Severus asked.

"If she can do the potion correctly and on the first try, she has to be really good," Tonks commented.

"They won't get it right!" Severus hissed. "How can a bunch of second years make that potion? Not even _I_ could get it right on my first go!"

"Oh, so if she does get it right," Sirius said slowly as a grin began to appear on his face. "That means that she was better at Potions than you were!"

"I'm telling you," he hissed again, "She won't get it right!"

"Once again, Severus," Albus said pleasantly. "You underestimate the students. You might want to wait and hear what happens before you decide what they can or can't do."

**"Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves...Oooh, look, powered horn of a bicorn - don't know where we're going to** **get that - shredded skin of a boomslang - that'll be tricky, too - and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."**

"I was thinking about that," Minerva said suddenly, "Bicorn horn and boomslang skin? Those are most certainly not in the student cupboard."

"Well, how are they going to get the ingredients?" Remus asked her just as he noticed the Potion's master with a very nasty look on his face. And everyone knew right away where they would be getting the ingredients.

Sirius obtained a wicked gleam in his eye and a grin was spreading. "That means that they'll have to steal from you Snape? Oh, I can't wait to hear that."

Severus's eye twitched horribly, before he said in a dangerous voice, "They better hope that they abandon their plan. Because if I find out that they truly did steal from my office…"

"Let's find out then," Dumbledore said calmly.

**"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking _nothing _with Crabbe's toenails in it-"**

"It doesn't have to be toenails," Mad-Eye said rolling his magical eye. "Hair would do just fine. However…" he added in an afterthought, "As long as it came off that person then it really doesn't matter what it is."

"Am I the only one who thinks that what they're doing is wrong?" demanded Molly, looking around at some of the disgusted looks on their faces.

"Molly," Albus said gently. "Believe me, I understand that it is difficult when you hear your children do something with this amount of risk. But I think we keep forgetting that this has already happened." He looked to Severus and said, "So no matter what they do, or rather have done, we can't punish them for something that happened 3 years ago."

"I disagree with that, Headmaster," Severus growled.

Albus merely held up a hand and silently asked Molly to continue. But Molly looked at Albus strangely for a second. How would he know what it would be like to hear if you're children were doing something dangerous? She knew that he cared about all of his students… but she noticed that whenever Harry was involved, he always seemed to become just a little more tense and concerned.

**Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him.**

**"We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last..."**

**Ron turned, speechless,** **to Harry, who had another worry.**

**"D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea..."**

Severis was looking at the book with his hands clenched tightly. Everyone else was looking from the book to the stony look on Snape's face; in shock at the fact that the kids might've actually… but did they… from Snape's… how on earth did they pull it off?

"So they're really going to try and break into my office," Severus said through tight lips.

"I keep reminding you, Severus," Albus said patiently, "This is long since in the past, nothing we can do about it now."

Severus just glared at Albus, but didn't dare say anything in disagreement.

**Hermione shut the book with a snap.**

**"Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said.**

**There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "_I _don't want to break rules, you know. _I _think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in -"**

"So let me see if I got this straight," Tonks said slowly. "_She's_ trying to talk _them_ into break the rules instead of the other way around?"

Snape then added, "And now Potter's trying to persuade Granger not to break rules?"

Albus chuckled. "Harry isn't the determine rule-breaker that you believe he is, Severus. Everything he does, he tries to protect and help others. He doesn't try to be the hero—but he feels that he has to do something. Besides…" he then added on a sadder tone, "I think that Miss Granger is really afraid that she will be the next victim."

"I understand that," Minerva sighed sadly, as everyone else thought about those words.

Potter… not trying to be the hero? Severus couldn't believe that; Potter always tried to be the center of attention. But he was running out of reasons to back that belief up.

Molly felt a sense of over-whelming gratitude and sorrow for the boy who always risked so much for her family and everyone else, but never had a chance to live a happy and normal life. Why did it have to be such a sweet and kind-hearted boy involved in this war?

Mad-Eye, was impressed with how these three were doing. Trying to find information from a suspect through such a complex way that no one would ever figure out what was happen? That's definitely Auror material. He couldn't wait to see how they do this.

Sirius and Remus both looked at each other and were thinking that when James broke a rule, it was simply to pull a prank on someone. But Harry… when he did it—it wasn't because he wanted to—but for other people. Why was this suddenly bugging them?

Albus… he was wondering how Harry could end up this way. He looked from the book in Molly Weasley's hands, up to the blank ceiling, lost in his thoughts of the past. Even at the age of twelve, Harry was more selfless than Albus had ever been. Until Ariana died, and he saw himself for who he truly was… a weak and power-hungry boy… all he cared about was getting famous and having glory.

But here, a child… not even a teenager, was more of a better man—than he could ever hope to be.

**"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"**

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "I never thought I'd see Hermione act like this. But to tell you the truth, I'm kinda enjoying it. I like seeing _new_ Hermione."

"I think her friends are bad influences on her," Minerva said with her mouth twitching, as though she was fighting not to smile.

**"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Harry as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.**

**"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days... I'd say it'll be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."**

**"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!"**

"Wait," Arthur said quickly. "Hermione's the one making the potion right?"

"You mean make a feeble attempt at making the potion," Severus sneered. "I bet that they give up halfway through."

They all ignored him as Molly asked, "She's is. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that… what would happen if she had been attacked before it was finished?"

"Then, that would be bad for Harry and Ron," Tonks said coolly. "Good think that she's too smart to be a victim."

The teachers all glanced at each other in worry. None of them wanted to tell the others that Hermione was indeed attacked.

**But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."**

Remus laughed again, always looking much younger when he did. "So even then, they fought like an old married couple."

"Cute," Tonks said, but for some reason, she was looking at Remus when she said that word.

**However, while Hermione was checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron muttered to Harry, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."**

"Yeah, that would be a lot less hassle," grinned Sirius. But the grin soon vanished as he became tense and looked like he didn't want to hear the rest of the chapter. It was called the _Rogue Bludger_…

When he was at Hogwarts, he thought that the worse thing a Bludger could do is break an arm or leg… but he didn't want his godson injured at all and he knew with Harry's luck, something bad was about to happen soon. What if the Bludger knocked Harry off from broom or something? Again, he was surprised at how the parental instincts seemed to emerge.

"It will be okay," he heard Remus whisper to him as he squeezed his shoulder.

**Harry woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a while thinking about the coming Quidditch match. He was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, but also at the idea of facing a team mounted on the fasted racing brooms gold could buy.**

"I agree that money can't buy happiness," said Remus softly as he thought how he was forced to live a life of poverty, "But it sure makes misery easier to live with."

"That may be true," Arthur stated, "But it doesn't matter how good the broom is if the rider has no skill."

"Where did you get that?" Sirius asked with a slight smile. "A fortune cookie?"

"It sounds like something you might say, Dumbledore," Tonks said as Albus chortled.

**He had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly. After half an hour of lying there with his insides churning, he got up, dressed, and went down to breakfast early, where he found the rest of the Gryffindor team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much.**

**As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish Harry good luck as he entered the locker rooms. The** **team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.**

**"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better _people _on our brooms. **

"That's true," Sirius beamed proudly. Remus had told him that the Gryffindor team was the best that Hogwarts seen in years.

**We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers-" ("Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August -") "-and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."**

Tonks clapped approvingly.

"This guy is good with words," Arthur confirmed happily.

**Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Harry.**

**"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."**

"Die trying?!" Molly gasped horrified. "Who says something like that to a kid? Don't tell him something stupid like that! That's going to make him do something stupid and dangerous…" suddenly she remembered the chapter title and whimpered.

"I take that back," Arthur said quickly. "His speeches could use some work."

**"So no pressure, Harry," said Fred, winking at him.**

"Yeah," Sirius snapped. "No pressure at all!"

**As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and** **Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.**

"I hope Wood at least broke Flint's hand," Sirius spat.

**"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..."**

**With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Harry flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.**

**"All right there, Scarhead?" yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath him as though to show off the speed of his broom.**

"Scarhead?" Sirius repeated. "That's the best that he could come up with? Even Snape could throw out better insults than that." But then he blinked as Severus stared at him in disbelief. "Am I to understand that you just gave me a compliment?"

"I think I did," Sirius said weakly before he shivered unpleasantly. "These books are doing something to me."

**Harry had no time to reply. At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward him; he avoided it so narrowly that he felt it ruffle his hair as it passed.**

Molly sighed in relief. Good, it missed him.

**"Close one, Harry!" said George, streaking past him with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin. Harry saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrien Pucey**, **but** **the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Harry again.**

Sirius frowned as his face began turning white. The Bludger went for any player that's closest to it. If it was just going after one player that could only mean one thing…

"The rogue Bludger" Tonks recalled and groaned.

"Someone's cursed it!" Molly gasped. "It's going to take off his head!"

"Don't say that!" Sirius hissed at her, worry starting to kick in.

**Harry dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger** **swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head.**

Molly stopped reading and looked really pale.

"SOMEONE'S TAMPERED WITH THAT BLOODY BLUDGER!" Sirius yelled angrily. He made a mental promise that he would kill the person who was behind this. If Harry got hurt, Merlin help the person who was responsible.

"The Slytherins must be cheating to get Harry out," Tonks said furious.

"I always wondered about that," Minerva said. "But we never found out who jinxed it. The balls are always locked away… so how could anyone do this? I doubt that it was a student who…"

"You mean to tell me that you knew about this?" Sirius snarled at them. "What happens? Did Harry get hurt?"

Both teachers glanced at the Headmaster, deciding to let him answer. Albus thought about this for a second, and finally said, "The Bludger didn't injure Harry to badly, nothing that Poppy couldn't have healed in a heartbeat." He silently thought to himself, _'It was Lockhart who did the real damage.'_

The others looked a little more relieved, but Sirius could tell that Albus wasn't telling him everything. He bit his lip and told Molly to keep reading.

**Harry put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. He could hear the Bludger whistling along behind him. What was going on? Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it was their job to try and unseat as many people as possible...**

**Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Harry ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.**

"Those are my boys," Arthur said proudly.

**"Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to Harry, the Bludger pelted after him once more and Harry was forced to fly off at full speed.**

**It had started to rain; Harry felt heavy drops fall onto his face, splattering onto his glasses. He didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game until he heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero-"**

Sirius gave a small moan of disappointment. The quickest way to end the game would be if the Snitch was caught. Malfoy couldn't catch it if his life depended on it. And Harry didn't have a hope to see it with two beaters hovering around him and a mad Bludger trying to take his head off.

"I hope they think of something," Tonks said worriedly.

**The Slytherins' superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Harry out of the** **air. Fred and George were now flying so close to him on either side that Harry could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.**

**"Someone's - tampered - with - this - Bludger -" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Harry.**

"You think?" Mad-Eye said sarcastically.

**"We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood and stop the Bludger breaking Harry's nose at the same time.**

**Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Harry, Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.**

**"What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"**

"Haven't they noticed that the Bludger is attacking him?" Molly asked upset.

"Apparently not," Mad-Eye grunted.

**"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."**

"For their sakes they better not have done anything," Sirius threatened under his breath.

**"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then..." said Wood, anxiously.**

**Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, Harry could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in his direction.**

"Of course they would," Remus muttered furiously. "They know that the Bludger's after him and they're enjoying it!"

"'Cause they're the ones who jinxed it I bet," Tonks muttered.

**"Listen," said Harry as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."**

"What!" Molly exclaimed in a panic. "No! It could kill him!"

"It didn't kill him," Severus said as if disappointed. Sirius was too anxious to tell him off.

**"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."**

**Wood was looking from Harry to the Weasleys.**

**"Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia Spinnet angrily. "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Let's ask for an inquiry-"**

**"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Harry. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"**

"What is he thinking?!" Molly shouted. "His life for a game? What's more important?!"

Snape shook his head in exasperation. Only Potter would risk his own life for the sake of a stupid Quidditch match; doesn't matter if he's in danger, he always tries to pull out a victory. He then blinked in horror, realizing that he had just given Harry Potter, a compliment with the insult. Black was right, these books were doing something to whoever reads them.

**"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "'Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell him -"**

**Madam Hooch had joined them.**

**"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.**

"No they aren't!" Remus cried out. "Someone do something about the Bludger!"

"What can you do?" Moody asked them. Really, how many times do they have to go through this? "This is a _book_ telling us about the _past_. There's nothing we can do about it, so suck it up and deal with it!"

**Wood looked at the determined look on Harry's face.**

**"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Harry - leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."**

"It will be a miracle if he gets thorough the game in without his head cracked open," Tonks said as she blew a bubble.

"Oh, shut it Tonks, you aren't helping my nerves," said Sirius trying very hard not to think of the mental picture she put into his head.

**The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Harry kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind him. Higher and higher** **Harry climbed; he looped and swooped, spiraled, zigzagged, and rolled. Slightly dizzy, he nevertheless kept his eyes wide open, rain was speckling his glasses and ran up his nostrils as he hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger. He could hear laugher from the crowd; he knew he must look very stupid,**

"Who cares?" Sirius said, "As long as you can live through the rest of the game, who care how you look?"

"If he can just get the Snitch," Tonks said, "Then they can end the game without the Bludger doing anything."

"Why didn't you do anything?" Sirius snapped at the teachers who jumped at his sudden attention at them.

"I'm afraid that there wasn't much we could do," Minerva said sadly. "They refused to forfeit, so there wasn't anything that could be done."

"You're supposed to protect the students!" Sirius barked at them indignantly.

"If they refused to forfeit," Severus said calmly, "Then we couldn't stop them from playing if they believed that there wasn't anything to be worried about. Besides, I'm sure that this was no problem for '_Potter'_." He said Harry's name as if it was a disgusting word.

"You son of a—" Sirius began, but Molly read out loudly at the same time.

**but the rogue Bludger was heavy and he couldn't change direction as quickly as Harry could; he began a kind of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the Gryffindor goal posts, where Adrian Pucey was trying to get past Wood -'**

**A whistling in Harry's ear told him that Bludger had just missed him again; he turned right over and sped in the opposite direction.**

**"Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy as Harry was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in midair to dodge the Bludger, and he fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind him; and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, he saw it - _the Golden Snitch_. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear - and Malfoy, busy laughing at Harry, hadn't seen it.**

"Idiot, he should've been more focused on his job, not laughing at the opposition," Moody scoffed.

"And this is why you don't take briberies when making a team," Minerva said smugly.

"True, but that was the only way he could get on the team," Sirius replied, a little more cheerful than before.

"But can he get to it without Malfoy realizing what he's doing?" Remus pointed out. "All he has to do is get to it and they can end the game."

**For an agonizing moment, Harry hung in midair, not daring to speed toward Malfoy in case he looked up and saw the Snitch.**

Sirius, however, realized a big problem with this plan and yelled out, "Don't stay still, Harry! Move before the Bludger…"

**WHAM.**

Molly choked out with a slight wince.

Sirius's face was now bloodless as he finished for her, "Hits you."

**He had stayed still a** **second too long. The Bludger had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow, and Harry felt his arm break. **

Sirius was looking murderous. "I swear… if I ever find out who did this… they're gonna wish they've never been born."

**Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in his arm, he slid sideways on his rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, his right arm dangling useless at his side - the Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time aiming for his face - Harry swerved out of the way, one idea firmly lodged in his numb brain:_ get to Malfoy_.**

**Through a haze of rain and pain he dived for the shimmering, sneering face below him and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought Harry was attacking him.**

**"What the-" he gasped, careening out of Harry's way.**

"What a bloody coward," Tonks jeered, "You need to focus on your own job, instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing."

"Well said," Mad-Eye stated with a satisfied smirk. "That sounds like something I just said."

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

**Harry** **took his remaining hand off his broom and made a wild snatch; he felt his fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with his legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as he headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to pass out.**

"He was flying, upside-down, steering the broom with his legs, with a broken arm, in the rain, and still caught the Snitch?" Sirius said stunned.

"Yes," Albus said. He didn't learn about this until he heard Minerva telling him in his office later that evening.

Sirius was so amazed, just so impressed, that he just couldn't speak. Which was not an easy thing to do, but these books just continue to do so.

**With a splattering thud he hit the mud and rolled off his broom. His arm was hanging at a very strange angle; riddled with pain, he heard as though from a distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. He focused on the Snitch clutched in his good hand.**

**"Aha," he said vaguely. "We've won."**

**And he fainted.**

They all let that hang in the air for a few seconds before Molly shouted at Dumbledore, "I thought that you said that his injuries weren't that bad!"

He held up his hand and said grimly, "I'm afraid that the injuries he received from the Bludger were nothing with what happened after the game ended."

"WHAT?!" Sirius screamed. He looked ready to launch into another rant but Moody, truly annoyed now, yelled over him, "WILL YOU LOT JUST SHUT UP AND READ SO WE CAN FIND OUT?!"

Grumbling, Sirius just sat there with his teeth grinding together, wanting to know more and yell at the same time.

**He came around, rain falling on his face, still lying on the field, with someone leaning over him. He saw a glitter of teeth.**

"_Glitter of teeth_?" Remus repeated before groaning, "Don't tell me…"

"Of all the possible people it had to be…" Arthur moaned.

"Why did it have to be him?" Tonks finished.

**"Oh, no, not you," he moaned.**

"I really don't blame him," Sirius said.

**"Doesn't know what he's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them.**

"Actually, yeah I think he does," Remus said before holding up an arm and continuing, "I might be going out on a limb here, but something tells me that he knows _exactly_ what he's saying."

**"Not to worry, Harry.** **I'm about to fix your arm."**

"No!" was the common outcry from the crowd.

"Someone get him out of there!" Molly shouted severely. "He'll do more harm than good! Harry needs to go straight to Madam Pomfrey."

"Why doesn't he just break a leg or two while he's at it?" Remus said, worriedly. He didn't want to know what was going to happen next.

**"_No!_"said Harry. "I'll keep it like this, thanks..."**

"So would I," murmured Severus darkly.

"Even half aware, he knows what he's talking about," Sirius shook his head. "Why doesn't someone help him?!"

**He tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. He heard a familiar clicking noise nearby.**

**"I don't want a photo of this, Colin," he said loudly.**

"That kid is really getting on my nerves," Moody muttered to himself.

**"Lie back, Harry," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times -"**

"I don't deny that part," Tonks said. "But how many times have they actually worked is what I want to know?"

**"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.**

**"He should, really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say -"**

"I swear," Minerva sighed. "Quidditch is that boy's life. He couldn't care less what happens to his players as long as they win."

"Wow, that's a little obsessive huh?"

**Through the thicket of legs around him, Harry spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight.**

**"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.**

**"No - don't -" said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Harry's arm.**

"Why doesn't he listen to him?" Molly said angrily. "He said that he doesn't want to him to do anything so he really shouldn't."

**A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Harry's shoulder and spread all the way down to his fingertips. It felt as though his arm was being deflated. He didn't dare look at what was happening. He had shut his eyes, his face turned away from his arm, but his worst fears were realized as the people above him gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. His arm didn't hurt anymore - nor did it feel remotely like an arm.**

Most of the room went very quiet.

"What the hell has he done to my godson?!" Sirius cried.

"Oh, Merlin…" Molly breathed terrified, expecting the worse.

"Proof that he was the world's biggest idiot," Minerva said angrily.

"What," Sirius asked her in a deadly voice, "Did he do?"

**"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing - ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you** **escort him? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."**

"I think he meant for her to clean up the extraordinary mess that he made," Severus corrected.

"Honestly! He shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near the students," Minerva said bitterly.

"I agree wholeheartedly," Tonks stated, "But that would've made it hard for him to teach his many fans about himself."

Sirius laughed in spite of himself.

**As Harry got to his feet, he felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath he looked down at his right side. What he saw nearly made him pass out again.**

**Poking out of the end of his robes was what looked like a thick, flesh-colored rubber glove. He tried to move his fingers. Nothing happened.**

"He _vanished_ them?" Sirius' voice held no feeling, but with his clenched hands, pale face, and murderous glint in his eyes, it wasn't hard to guess what was going through his head. He glared at Dumbledore, who sensing danger, quickly said, "I understand that you're upset, Sirius. But Harry was just fine. He only had to spend one night in the Hospital Wing."

**Lockhart hadn't mended Harry's bones. He had removed them.**

**Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.**

"Why would she be?" Molly shouted. "I mean, that idiot only removed all his bones and caused more harm than help…"

"Molly," Arthur said soothingly. "He's okay now. Madam Pomfrey can fix anything, she's never failed yet."

"But still!" she muttered cynically. But she calmed down enough to continue reading.

**"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back -"**

**"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately.**

**"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night..."**

**Hermione waited outside the curtain drawn around Harry's bed while Ron helped him into his pajamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve.**

**"How can you stick up for Lockhart, now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain as he pulled Harry's limp fingers through the cuff. "If Harry had wanted deboning he would have asked."**

"Yeah," Sirius demanded, agreeing with book Ron. "Try to stand up for him this time."

**"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Harry?"**

"No, it doesn't hurt now," Minerva said quietly so Sirius couldn't hear her. "But it will soon."

"What?" Sirius said shaking his head in disappointment. "Hermione… open your eyes!"

**"No," said Harry, getting into bed.** **"But it doesn't do anything else either."**

**As he swung himself onto the bed, his arm flapped pointlessly.**

**Hermione and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled _Skele-Gro._**

"Ouch," Moody said. Being in the Auror department, you suffer from every kind of injury and ailment out there. And you're all to use to every kind of treatment for it. But Skele-Gro had to be hand's down, one of the most painful cures out there.

**"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."**

"Won't argue with that," Mad-Eye declared.

**So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned Harry's mouth and throat as it went down, making him cough and splutter. Still tut-tutting about the dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron and Hermione to help Harry gulp down some water.**

"Pity sugar makes most potion's useless," Remus sighed, having had to take the revolting Wolfsbane Potion every month and wishing that it tasted better.

**"We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face... he looked ready to kill...""**

"I'll bet he did," Sirius said as a smile slowly came back to his face.

**"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.**

**"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry sinking back onto his pillows. "I** **hope it tastes better than this stuff..."**

**"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.**

Sirius snorted loudly. "To true. I can't argue with that logic."

Severus bared his teeth at him.

**The door to the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry.**

**"Unbelievable flying, Harry," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."**

"Maybe that'll make them think twice about letting Malfoy buy his way onto the team!" Arthur said smirking. He could only imagine how Lucius Malfoy must've felt when he heard that his son lost his first game, even with the best brooms that money could buy—and to add insult to injury, the Snitch had been right above his head the whole time!

**They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This boy needs rest, he's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"**

**And Harry was left alone, with nothing to distract him from the stabbing pains in his limp arm.**

"Poppy's a great nurse, but she needs to realize that people need distractions when they're in the hospital," Remus said. He had always been very close with the healer ever since he first arrived at the school. He probably had to spend more time in the Hospital Wing than in the Gryffindor common room thanks to his transformations.

**Hours and hours later, Harry woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: His arm now felt full of large splinters. For a second, he thought that was what had woken him. Then, with a thrill of horror, he realized that someone was sponging his forehead in the dark.**

"What now?" Sirius said weakly.

**"Get off!" he said loudly, and then, "_Dobby!_"**

"What?" Sirius exclaimed in astonishment while everyone, but Dumbledore who just raised his eyebrows, let out noises of surprise. "You mean to tell me that mental elf who nearly caused Harry to starve to death was there!?"

"Sure sounds like it," Remus said slowly.

**The house-elf's goggling tennis** **ball eyes were peering at Harry through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose.**

**"Harry Potter came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. Why didn't Harry Potter go back home when he missed the train?"**

"I'm sure that he means well," Molly began, "But he just—wait, wait a minute, how did he know that?"

"Oh, no… he didn't," Tonks said carefully.

"He did," Albus said as he thought of what the strange little elf told him when he came to work at Hogwarts.

**Harry heaved himself up on his pillows and pushed Dobby's sponge away.**

**"What're you doing here?" he said. "And how did you know I missed the train?"**

**Dobby's lip trembled and Harry was seized by a sudden suspicion.**

**"It was _you_!" he said slowly. "_You _stopped the barrier from letting us through!"**

"Aha!" Tonks cried out triumphantly. "The butler did it!"

Everyone stared at her as if worried about her sanity.

"Well, he did…" she said defensively.

**"Indeed yes, sir," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward" - he showed Harry ten long, bandaged fingers – **

Minerva gasped. "He was ordered to iron his hands?"

Albus shook his head sadly, there are wizards who truly do seem to be the ones less human than the creatures they abuse.

**"but Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and _never _did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would** **get to school another way!"**

**He was rocking backward and forward shaking his ugly head.**

**"Dobby was so shocked when he heard Harry Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir..."**

Most winced in pity, even Sirius—who was starting to pity his own house-elf Kreacher.

**Harry slumped back onto his pillows.**

**"You nearly got Ron and me expelled," he said fiercely. "You'd better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."**

"Harry, dear," Molly sighed, "You shouldn't threaten him. I'm sure he gets enough of that at home."

"That's beside the point," Mad-Eye said. "The boys were the ones that flew the car."

**Dobby smiled weakly.**

**"Dobby is used to death threats, sir. Dobby gets them five times a day at home."**

**He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Harry felt his anger ebb away in spite of himself.**

"Of course," Sirius said smiling. "Harry just can't stay angry with someone like Dobby for long."

**"Why d'you wear that thing, Dobby?" he asked curiously.**

**"This, sir?" said Dobby, plucking at the pillowcase. "'Tis** **a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave their house forever."**

**Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, "Harry Potter _must _go home! Dobby thought that his Bludger would be enough to make -"**

"_His _Bludger?!" Molly screeched so loudly that it hurt the ones with the more sensitive hearing. All her sympathy for the elf disappeared. "_He_ was the one who made that Bludger chase after Harry?!"

"What the hell?!" Sirius also yelled, but not as loudly. "He's going to kill him if he keeps this up!"

"I don't think that's what he saw it as," Remus told them. He could understand the elf's logic, but it was hard not to be angry with him when he thought about how many times he made Harry's life more complicated and difficult.

"Why does he want Harry out of the school so badly?" Sirius wondered desperately.

"Isn't it obvious, Black?" Severus asked as if speaking to a toddler. "He wants Potter away while the Chamber's been opened."

"I know that!" Sirius snapped back. "What I meant is why does Dobby think that he has to be the one to get Harry to leave?"

"He's probably the only one that realizes just how much danger that Harry's in," Remus said thoughtfully. "If Voldemort really is behind all this, then he will without a doubt go after him." He looked up at Dumbledore's sad expression and finished, "He's trying to save Harry by trying to get him to leave the castle."

"Well, he's got a funny way to go about saving people," Tonks mumbled.

"I think that he needs to stop trying to protect Harry," Arthur said shaking his head. "I think that Harry would be safer without Dobby."

**"_Your _Bludger?" said Harry, anger rising one more. "What d'you mean, _your _Bludger? _You _made the Bludger try to kill me?"**

**"Not kill you, sir, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life! **

"Remind me," Tonks asked harshly, "But how is attacking him with a Bludger saving his life?"

**Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"**

"He really needs to think of other ways to protect him," Sirius said angrily, but he wasn't angry at the elf. Ok, he _was_ angry at the elf, but not as angry as he was with himself. Really, at least the elf was _trying_ to protect Harry—even though he was doing a terrible job at it—while he was stuck in Azkaban.

His godson was off at school, fighting for his life and he wasn't able to help him when he needed it. Some godfather he was. He heard Dumbledore talking again, and he came back to reality to listen.

"Harry wouldn't have been sent home anyway," said Albus. "Poppy is an expert healer. Even at the worst case scenario, Harry would've been sent to St. Mungo's before being brought right back to the school."

**"Oh, is that all?" said Harry angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why _you wanted me sent home in pieces?"**

**"Ah, if Harry Potter only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If he knew what he means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, sir! We house-elfs were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, sir," he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase. "But mostly, sir, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, sir, and Harry Potter, shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end, sir... **

Everyone thought back to that bittersweet day when they realized that the war had ended—just when things looked hopeless and this darkness was never going to end… they opened their eyes and saw the sunrise for the first time in years. It was strange that one child could've brought back the light like this…

**And now, at Hogwarts, terrible thing are to** **happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Harry Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more -"**

"I can see where he's coming from," Minerva said slowly, "But still I think that he really should stop."

"You aren't the only one," Tonks agreed. "But now the little guy has just let slip a big clue about the Chamber."

"Just like Hagrid," Severus muttered. Really, what's the point of keeping things secret if there are blabber mouths like these two who can't keep their mouths shut?

**Dobby froze, horrorstruck, then grabbed Harry's water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight. A second later, he crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby..."**

**"So there _is _a Chamber of Secrets?" Harry whispered. "And - did you say** **it's been opened _before_? _Tell _me, Dobby!"**

"Yes, please," Sirius agreed. It would be a lot less hassle if Dobby told him what was going on.

**He seized the elf's bony wrist as Dobby's hand inched toward the water jug. "But I'm not Muggle-born - how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"**

"That's a good point," Arthur said slowly.

"Like I said before," Dumbledore told him darkly. "It's Voldemort who is behind everything that happened that year. I imagine that he would be most interested with Harry don't you all?"

**"Ah, sir, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Harry Potter must not be here when they happen - go home, Harry Potter, go home. Harry Potter must not meddle in this, sir, 'tis too dangerous-"**

"How is he supposed to understand the kind of danger he's in," Sirius said exasperated. "If he doesn't tell him anything?"

But then his eyes widened. He realized that they have been doing the exact same thing to him all year. Keeping everything quiet from Harry, trying so hard to protect him, but not telling him why he needs it. Was this how it felt for him? Were they doing more harm than good like Dobby? He looked up at Dumbledore, who he could tell was thinking somewhere along the same lines but he didn't say anything.

**"Who is it, Dobby?" Harry said, keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"**

"He can't tell him," Molly said sadly.

"What do you expect?" Mad-Eye asked gruffly, "Answer all his questions before he's on his merry way? He's a house-elf. He can't go against his orders."

**"Dobby can't, sir, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home, Harry Potter, go home!"**

**"I'm not going anywhere!" said Harry fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened -"**

"Again," Severus said annoyed. "Potter worrying about everyone but himself." As everyone else stared at him in amazement, he realized that it sounded like he was actually worried about Harry Potter. So he quickly said, "You bloody, _noble_," he spat that word out like it was venom, "Gryffindors are all the same. You never think."

That sounded much more like the Severus Snape they all knew and turned back to the book. But Dumbledore was looking at him with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. Severus turned away furious with himself for letting his guard down.

**"Harry Potter risks his own life for his friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So** **noble! So valiant! But he must save himself, he must, Harry Potter must not -"**

**Dobby suddenly froze, his bat** **ears** **quivering. Harry heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside.**

"Who is it?" Arthur demanded. Minerva and Albus both gave each other a quick glance, already having a good idea.

**"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified. There was a loud crack, and Harry's fist was suddenly clenched on thin air. He slumped back into bed, his eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer.**

Albus frowned, he knew who it was, a part of him should've realized that Harry was aware of what was going on; but he wished that Harry had not been awake to see it.

"Of course, someone comes just when he's about to find out something important," Tonks said annoyed.

**Next moment, Dumbledore** **was backing into the dormitory, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.**

Those who didn't know gasped in horror.

"There's been another attack," Remus said in a voice barely above a whisper. Dumbledore could feel guilt taking hold of his heart once again. Every time one of his students was hurt—it felt like a fatal blow to him.

But Moody suddenly asked him, "Dumbledore, What's with you and wool? First _thick, woolen socks_, the year before, and now a _woolly_ dressing gown?"

That cheered him up. Albus just had to laugh. "I find it very warm and comfortable," was his simple answer.

**"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Harry's bed out of sight. Harry lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. He heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her night-dress. He heard a sharp intake of breath.**

**"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.**

**"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."**

**"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter."**

"Who?" Sirius insisted. "Who was it?"

**Harry's stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, he raised himself a few inches so that could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face.**

**It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.**

It was as if they all were punched in the gut. They all looked at each other with anger and sadness in their eyes. How could anyone—be so cruel—so evil to actually attack little kids?

Sirius felt terrible from the annoyance he felt towards the boy before. He was just a kid, a kid that didn't know any manners. But he didn't deserve this.

He had to ask, "He's alright now isn't he?"

"Oh, yes," Albus said gently. "By the end of the year, all the victims were restored with no lasting harm or damage."

Sirius felt a sense of relief and promised himself not to say anything mean about that kid ever again.

**"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think... If Albus hadn't been on the way down for hot chocolate - who knows what might have -"**

"Oh, I highly doubt it," Mad-Eye stated. The all looked at him in surprise before he elaborated, "If you ask me, that Creevey kid has got some real guts and he's having great fun with magic. I think that he might be having some of his own nighttime adventures. Wonder what he's been up too?"

They all thought of that and Minerva said, "That's interesting. I'll have to be sure to ask him that once we get back to the school."

**The** **three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.**

**"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly.**

**Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.**

**"Good gracious!"** **said Madam Pomfrey.**

**A jet of steam caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.**

**"Melted," said Madam** **Pomfrey.**

"Of course it was all melted," Sirius grumbled. "That would be too easy."

"Why is nothing ever easy?" Remus asked, more to himself than the others.

**"What does this _mean,_ Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.**

"Yeah," Tonks asked. "What does this mean, Albus?"

**"It means," said Dumbledore,** **"that** **the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."**

**Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore.**

**"But, Albus... surely... _who_?"**

**"The question is not _who_," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, _how_..."**

**And from what Harry could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand this any better than he did.**

"What do you mean by 'how'?" Remus demanded the moment Molly had snapped the book shut.

"I meant," Albus said to the room. "That I already knew who was behind all this… the problem is that I didn't know how Voldemort could've been behind the attacks if he was in hiding. And without knowing how he was doing this, I couldn't do much to stop it." He said those last few words resentfully. He was disgusted with himself. If only he had figured everything out sooner… he could've prevented all the fear and suffering that year had caused to so many people.

There was quiet as he finished speaking.

"Poor Colin," Tonks said whispered. Thinking how horrible it must've been. To be trapped in a frozen state, not being able to move or speak. To be like a statue, not being able to do or say anything to the people around you. But then again, what happens when you're petrified? Are you aware of what is around you or are you perhaps asleep?

"This was how it all started," Minerva sighed sadly. "Colin Creevey was the first of several attacks. That was truly a horrid year."

They all looked a little scared. Harry and Hermione were both at the very top of Voldemort's target list that year and that murderous voice didn't bode well for the rest of the victims.

"Well, don't stop. Keep reading!" Remus urged Molly

"I can't," Molly told him, in an almost relieved tone, "That's the end of the chapter."

"Well, in that case," Albus asked. "Who wants to go next?"

"Me," said Sirius. No one objected, and Molly almost threw the book at him. He took it and turned to the next chapter, terrified of what happens next. "**Chapter 11: The Dueling Club**."

**(A/N: Lots of Reviews = Faster Updates. Just thought I should say that. Hope you enjoyed this.)**


	13. The Dueling Club

**(Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling! I own nothing)**

**Chapter 11: The Dueling Club**

"Me," said Sirius. No one objected, and Molly almost threw the book at him. He took it and turned to the next chapter, terrified of what happens next. "**Chapter 11: The Dueling Club**."

"Dueling club?" Mad-Eye repeated, with his eyebrows raised. "Why do I have a feeling that this will turn out badly?"

"What's so bad about a Dueling Club?" asked Arthur evenly. "I think that it's a good idea. It could be handy someday."

Severus groaned as he remembered what happened that day during the first and only meeting. And Minerva was giving Dumbledore a dark look, like she thought it was his fault that Lockhart started the mess.

Sirius on the other hand was asking, "How come we never thought about having a Dueling Club?"

"It never came up before," Albus answered him casually. "And the idea seemed to be harmless enough at the time."

**Harry woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm reboned but very stiff. He sat up quickly and looked over at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains Harry had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that he was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching his arm and fingers.**

"I'm just glad that they put those curtains up," Molly said sadly. "That would've been a terrible sight for the students to see."

**"All in order," she said as he clumsily fed himself porridge left-handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."**

**Harry dressed as quickly as he could and hurried off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and Hermione about Colin and Dobby, but they weren't there. Harry left to look for them, wondering where they could have got to and feeling slightly hurt that they weren't interested in whether he had his bones back or not.**

"Aww, they do care Harry," Tonks said softly. "They must've had something important to do."

"Yeah," agreed Moody, "Making the potion."

"They aren't going to succeed," Severus said confidently. "So you can stop acting like they're going to pull it off!"

"And you shouldn't be so critical," Mad-Eye replied. "Being underestimated is bad for your enemy… but underestimating your foe is even worse. Take all your opponents seriously and you have less chance of them taking you by surprise."

Severus just looked away with a superior look. He'll believe it when he sees it.

**As Harry passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met.**

**"Oh, hello, Harry," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup - you earned fifty points!"**

"Oh, yeah," Molly said scathingly. "It only cost him his right arm."

"If Lockhart hadn't done anything then Madam Pomfrey would've been able to fix his harm in under a minute!" Sirius growled on Molly side. "He would've been in and out of the hospital in under five minutes!"

**"You haven't seen Ron of Hermione, have you?" said Harry.**

**"No, I haven't," said Percy, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another _girls' toilet..._"**

**Harry forced a laugh, **

"Why? It wasn't funny," Sirius asked confused.

"He was only being polite, Sirius," Molly informed him wearily.

**watched Percy walk out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He couldn't see why Ron and Hermione would be in there again, but after making sure that neither Filch nor any prefects were around, he opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall.**

"Myrtle's bathroom? Why are they in there?" demanded Arthur in surprise.

"I think I know why," Albus said with a smile. He had to hand it to his students… they were going about this the right way.

**"It's me," he said, closing the door behind him. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and he saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.**

**"_Harry!_" she said. "You gave us such a fright - come in - how's your arm?"**

"See, they _do _care," Sirius said with a grin, glad that the trio had each other to rely on.

**"Fine," said Harry, squeezing into the stall. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet, and a cracking from under the rim told Harry they had lit a fire beneath it.**

"Merlin, they must've been tiny to be able to all fit into one stall," Sirius said sadly, thinking about how much he had missed of his godson's life. The last time he saw Harry before he was sent off to Azkaban he had been a year old—and he didn't see him again until twelve years later as a teenager. He had missed so much… and Harry had been forced to live through hell for those years.

He then realized with some surprise that once they finished this book… then they would be reading about Harry's third year… which meant that he was going to be making his appearance soon.

When he thought of that, he wasn't sure if he wanted to read book three. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind as he went on.

**Conjuring up portable, waterproof fires was a specialty** **of** **Hermione's.**

**"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained as Harry, with difficulty, locked the stall again. **

"Why are they even bothering?" Severus demanded, "It's too advanced for second years! The potion will go horribly wrong, I know it!"

"You don't have to sound so hopeful for it," Dumbledore told him calmly.

**"We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."**

**Harry started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted.**

**"We already know-we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going-"**

"How is it that these three always seem to know more than the majority of the school?" Minerva sighed exasperated; really, her Gryffindors were too curious for their own good.

"They like to poke their noses into other people's problems," Tonks smirked, "Don't tell me that you haven't noticed that yet?"

**"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."**

**"There's something else," said Harry, watching Hermione tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."**

**Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed. Harry told them everything Dobby had told him-or hadn't told him. Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths open.**

"That would've been a fascinating conversation," Tonks giggled. "Hello guys, I just thought that you should know that last night a crazy house-elf told me that he was trying to save my life by almost killing me in the process and let slip some important information about the Chamber before he started beating himself up, what have you've been up to?"

Sirius laughed half-heartedly. "Wish I could've seen the looks on their faces."

**"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened _before_?"Hermione said.**

**"This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it.**

"No," Sirius said a little crestfallen. "Can be. Lucius was only a few years ahead of us and if the Chamber was opened in our time period then we would've heard it."

"So you're ready to admit that maybe it's not Malfoy behind this?" Remus asked surprised.

"No," Sirius said stubbornly. "I'm just saying that it couldn't have happened while we were there."

**It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."**

"Hey, Ron's got a good point there," said Tonks suddenly. "If it can petrify people, then it has to be something big. How can you not notice if there's some kind of giant, ugly monster running around the school?!"

"The monster may know how to hide itself," Remus said thoughtfully.

"And size is no guarantee of power," Albus said, "There is a Muggle saying_, 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, it's the size of the fight in the dog.' _Look at Harry for example…"

"Fair argument," Mad-Eye said unworriedly as Snape tried to hide a snort. "Potter may be small, but when he's backed into a corner, it's like he becomes a little bull terrier—he fights back."

**"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself-pretend to be a suit of armor or something-I've read about Chameleon Ghouls-"**

"Yes, but they can't petrify people though," Remus said, being an expert on dark creatures.

**"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked at Harry.**

**"So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm..." He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."**

"Yet another good point," Tonks said with a slight smile. "Ron's on a roll today!"

"Dobby really does mean well," Albus told them, though he personally believed that Dobby had done more harm than good. But if it hadn't been for Dobby, then they might've had a harder time finding any information about the Chamber.

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," Sirius scoffed. "I'm just saying that he needs to stop trying to save Harry before he kills him."

**The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.**

Albus sighed sadly. Really, Hogwarts was supposed to be a place of safety. A place where the students were supposed to worry only about getting to class on time or doing their homework… not worrying about being attacked around every corner.

**Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught, but Harry felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues.**

Sirius burst out laughing as Molly let out a furious remark. "How can they do that to their little sister?" She then rounded on Sirius and yelled, "It's not funny!"

"You're right," Sirius said still sniggering. "It's hilarious."

**They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.**

It was Arthur's turn to sigh this time. He was sure that this wasn't the real reason why Ginny was having nightmares. Sirius was looking disappointed and Molly looked ready to start telling him off again, until he went on, looking for a good distraction.

**Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.**

**"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."**

"That's not true at all," Remus said sadly, thinking how much potential he shown during his first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Snape on the other hand was thinking the exact opposite.

"I couldn't agree more," he said coolly, earning himself some dark glares, even from Dumbledore—though his was more saddened than the others.

**In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious. They holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.**

"And how do they intend to get the rest of the ingredients?" Severus asked through gritted teeth. They're going to fail anyway, so why bother?

"I'm willing to bet you all anything that they do it," Moody said with one of his lop-sided smiles.

They all stared at him in amazement. Mad-Eye Moody… betting that a few kids can pull something like this off?

"What are you willing to bet?" Tonks asked interested. Moody thought about as he stroked his chin lightly.

"I promise to read a chapter if they fail to make the potion correctly," he said after a minute.

They could hardly believe their ears. He must've had a lot of confidence in the trio to willing suggest reading if they fail. "You're on," Severus said with his eyebrows raised. "I do hope that you know how to read well."

He only smirked, which worried them all. "Don't count your dragons before they hatch," he said as he leaned back comfortably and waved for Sirius to keep reading.

**Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. Harry privately felt he'd rather face Slytherin's legendary monster than let Snape catch him robbing his office.**

Severus couldn't help but smile at that line. Really… was he that scary?

**"What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need."**

"Make a diversion in Snape's class?" Tonks asked with a laugh, "What are they tired of living?" She looked up at Snape and said, "If you do catch them, you'll skin them alive!"

"Well, I never caught them in my office, so they couldn't have done it," he said coldly. But Albus could only chuckle as he thought of how many people would have to eat their words once the potion was made.

**Harry and Ron looked at her nervously.**

**"I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get into anymore trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."**

They all stared at the book in amazement. "Ah, Sirius?" Molly asked quietly. "Could you read that part again?"

Sirius nodded and read out, **"I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You two will be expelled if you get into anymore trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."**

"So they really are set on doing it," Remus said, not knowing whether to be impressed or concerned.

"How can they be so reckless?" Molly shrieked, terrified. "And this is coming from Hermione no less! I excepted more from her!"

"I think her friends might be a bad influence on her," Minerva said with a frown.

"I think that it's good for them all," Mad-Eye laughed as he took a sip from his flask. "Good for preparing for the future."

"You make it sound like they're going off to do something stupid and dangerous after they leave school!" Molly said frustrated.

Moody shrugged and said, "What do you all have against being prepared? Constant valiance."

**Harry smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye.**

"Interesting comparison," Dumbledore mused as he thought that over.

"That's the school motto isn't it?" Sirius said, smirking. "Never poke a sleeping dragon in the eye… or a dragon that's awake, for that matter. Poking a dragon is dangerous no matter if it's awake or asleep."

"I want to know who came up with that motto," Tonks asked. "Really, you think you can find one that's a little more impressive."

"The founders came up with it," Minerva stated. "Why though… I can't say."

"They sound interesting," Sirius stated as he turned the paged idly, "Has anyone else noticed that it sounds like something that you would've said Dumbledore?"

Albus laughed. "I never thought of it, but yes it does."

**Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooded desks, on which stood brass scales of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was Snape's favorite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say "Unfair."**

Albus frowned disappointedly at Severus who choice that moment to look up at the ceiling with a look that clearly wished that he was out of this place. Everyone else just gave him dirty looks—knowing that teachers really shouldn't favor their own houses the way that he did.

**Harry's Swelling Solution was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things. He was waiting for Hermione's signal, and he hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer as his watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, **

Minerva turned a steely look at him. "You bully your own students, Severus?" she demanded, her voice a little higher than normal. It was treatment like this towards students that made her angry, "That is truly terrible!"

"Is it my fault that it's the only way that they can learn?" he demanded. Sirius was biting back his retort, longing to tell him what he really thought of his teaching methods… no, he wanted to change for the better. He wasn't going to rise… he wasn't going to lose his temper…

"Severus," Remus began. "Don't you think that the students would learn better if you didn't have to use threats to get them to do their work?"

"You're too soft, Lupin," he snapped back. "It was that weak attitude that made your students so…"

There was only so much that Sirius could take—and when you insult one of his friends, was when he got angry. "Who are you calling weak?!" he bellowed at him. "Just because you're too cowardly to face up to the fact that you ruined your own life and have to take it out on kids?"

Severus stood up pulling out his wand, "I don't need to take this from a man who's been hiding inside his mother's house for over half a year…"

Sirius was now on his feet, drawing out his own wand in the process—no longer caring what happened just as long as he could duel Snape here and now.

"Sirius, Severus," Dumbledore said, standing up between them. "Enough of this, please find it inside yourselves to lay aside old schoolboy grudges and move on with your lives. Tell me, please just how can you both keep such little grudges for so long?"

"You're wasting your time, Dumbledore," Moody said as his eye looked around at them all. "These two are far too dense to ever let things go. I say just put a silencing charm on them both—it's much easier."

"Come on, gentlemen," Arthur said, standing up as Molly looked at the other two men with worried expressions. "We still have a bet going on."

"Yeah," Tonks agreed as she looked over at Moody. "Don't you want to find out if they pull off making the potion?"

Sirius couldn't care less about anything at the moment; he just ached to attack Snape. What he would've give to meet him down a dark alleyway or something someday. But he also wanted to know what else happens in the book. So after taking several deep and gruff breaths, his eyes never leaving Snape, he sat down and continued to glare as he tapped his thigh so a few sparks flew out.

Snape looked like he would've liked nothing more in life than to curse Sirius Black while he was sitting down… but one warning look from Dumbledore gave him no choice but to take the seat directly opposite Sirius. He just handled his wand longingly before he sat down and refused to look always as they glared at each other with hatred.

Remus, knowing Sirius wasn't going to back down from the glaring contest any time soon, gently took the book so that he could finish reading in his stead. But as he picked up the book, he put a hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed it in a silent gesture of _thank you_. He wasn't sure if he saw it, but he could've sworn that the corner of Sirius's mouth rose slightly as if holding back a smile.

Smiling slightly himself, he took the book and read out,

**Hermione caught Harry's eye and nodded.**

**Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.**

Tonks and Sirius cheered as Moody began a harsh laugh. Molly was looking scandalized while Arthur was sharing a look with McGonagall, both of them not knowing if they should laugh or scold.

Albus could only smile at the thought. He was used to pranks and rules being broken, but this was a drastic trick and Harry was never much of a prankster, despite his talent of rule breaking.

Severus on the other hand was looking triumphant. "I knew it!" he shouted out. "I knew that it was Potter who did it and finally, I have some proof!"

Sirius looked ready for another glaring contest, but Albus peered over his glasses at him before saying to Snape, "Severus, would you really punish Harry for something that happened three years ago?"

Snape was looking murderous, and it didn't help when Tonks said, "How would you convince anyone else anyway? _'I know that Harry Potter made a potion explode in his second year because I read it in a book?' _Yeah, that'll sound convincing."

**Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon;**

Sirius could only roar with laughter as Tonks started to swell her own nose, which caused several others to start laughing.

**Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate - Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Harry saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.**

"Yeah! Come on, Hermione!" Tonks cheered, as Molly pursed her lips tightly.

**"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who had been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft-when I find out who did this-"**

**Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. **

If there was anything to cheer Sirius up, it was this. For Malfoy to get what he had coming for so long… it was wonderful!

**As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, Harry saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.**

"I love when Hermione puts the brilliant mind of hers to mischief," Sirius sighed. "Harry's courage, Hermione's brains, and Ron's determination really makes the three of them unstoppable."

"Won't argue with you on that one," Mad-Eye growled approvingly.

"And you never noticed when some of your potion ingredients went missing, Severus?" asked Albus, humor in his voice, the other man glowered.

"How was I supposed to know that there would be students breaking into my office to make Polyjuice potion?!"

"I can't believe that it worked," Minerva said shaking her head. "If they could get away with that, I wonder what else they got away with."

**When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.**

**"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall _make sure_ that person is expelled."**

"Oh, I finally know for sure who it was who threw it," Snape hissed, desperate to find some kind of reason for giving Potter a detention.

Sirius smirked, "Yeah, even though you finally know who it is—and it only took you three years to do so—you can't do anything about it."

**Harry arranged his face into what he hoped was a puzzled expression. **

**Snape was looking right at him, and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.**

"Oh," Sirius said indignantly, "So you just automatically assumed that it was Harry without any proof at all?"

"But it was him!"

"That's not the point!" he snapped back. "You didn't know it was him at the time and yet you still blamed him for it!"

"But it _was_ Potter who did it!"

Tired of the arguing, Remus just told him to keep reading.

**"He knew it was me," Harry told Ron and Hermione as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."**

**Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.**

"**It'll be ready in two weeks," she said happily.**

Severus snorted in disbelief.

**"Snape can't prove it was you," said Ron reassuringly to Harry. "What can he do?"  
"Knowing Snape, something foul," said Harry as the potion frothed and bubbled.**

"Yeah, I can believe that," Sirius stated darkly. Severus barred his teeth at him. Little did he know, everyone else was thinking along the same lines.

**A week later, Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small know of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.**

**"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days..."**

"Yes," Tonks with mock excitement, "Now they'll know how to curse each other with spells _properly_ and attack each other without any problems."

**"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.**

**"Could be useful," he said to Harry and Hermione as they went to dinner. "Shall we go?"**

**Harry and Hermione were for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.**

**"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young-maybe it'll be him."**

"Flickwick was a dueling champion?" Tonks asked in surprise; Flickwick had always been one of her favorite teachers. "Awesome. Sounds like the students had better behave in Charms class."

**"As long as it's not-" Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.**

"Why am I not surprised?" Arthur asked with a groan. Really, can't they go a chapter without having this git in it?

"What were you doing there?" Sirius asked Snape. "Lose a bet or something?"

"No," Severus muttered, barely moving his lips as he glared at Dumbledore. Dumbledore asked him to do the Dueling Club with Lockhart to make sure that nothing went wrong… well, he was wrong on that wasn't he?

**Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me?** **Can you all hear me? Excellent!**

**"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permissions to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works.**

"Oh, for the love of…" groaned Tonks. "Give it a rest with your books already!"

"Once again, he's only doing this to advertize his books!" Remus said rolling his eyes.

**"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"**

"Of course they will, it's you that won't make it out of this in one piece," Tonks said, hope shining in her now purple-colored eyes.

"Oh, why didn't they finish each other off?" Sirius whined in disappointment.

"The day that Lockhart beats me in a duel, I'll snap my own wand in half," Severus said with his eye twitching.

"You aren't going to do anything to cruel are you?" Minerva asked him. "Not that I would complain if you did. I only wish that I had a chance to do something to him before he had to leave."

Severus smiled happily at the memory of him flying across the room and smashing him into the ground.

"You hurt him didn't you?" Arthur asked with a grin.

_'I hope so,'_ Molly thought angrily to herself. Serves him right for what he did to Harry's arm.

**"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Harry's ear.**

**Snape's upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at _him _like that he'd have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.**

"Because he can't see anything that isn't in a mirror," Sirius said as if it was obvious.

**Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.**

**"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the cound of three, will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."**

"What do you know," Sirius said in surprise. "You've got more restraint that I would've thought."

Snape rolled his eyes at that—even though he was so tempted to do so, he wasn't aiming to kill… just humiliate.

"I somehow doubt that you weren't aiming to kill," Tonks stated, really, she probably would've lost her temper and slaughtered him.

"That's really too bad," Remus muttered.

Molly looked at him in surprise and said, "Remus! This isn't like you at all."

"Molly, did you already forget that Lockhart removed Harry's bones?"

Molly's eyes flashed with renewed anger. "OH, I hope that you inflicted some major injury, Severus!"

**"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.**

**"One-two-three-"**

**Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: _"Expelliarmus!" _There was dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.**

"Oh, I wish I could've seen it," moaned Sirius with a large smile. He then held up his hands and said out in a dramatic voice, "Mr. Pompous Gilderoy Lockhart… knocked flat on his arse…"

Everyone started laughing at Lockhart's expense… imagining the look on his face when Severus smashed him against the wall. It took them all a long time to calm down enough to keep going.

**Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.**

**Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.**

"**Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together.**

"I totally agree with you on that," Tonks smirked.

**Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.**

**"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do.**

"You don't say?" Sirius said his voice with heavy sarcasm.

"No," Tonks laughed. "It was obvious, everyone knew that Lockhart was going to be sent flying."

Severus's lip curled as he thought back to that day, he had been wanting to do that since the day he met Lockhart.

**If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy-however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."**

**Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"**

**They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.**

Sirius's good mood faded instantly. "What did you do now?" he demanded harshly, his eyes glinted with danger.

**"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter-"**

**Harry moved automatically toward Hermione.**

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't going to let that happen?" Arthur asked him in a much colder voice than usual.

**"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger-you can partner Miss Bulstrode."**

**Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen in_ Holidays with Hags. _She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.**

"I love Harry's descriptions!" laughed Tonks, "He sure has a way with words and pictures doesn't he?"

Albus turned to Snape and asked, "How is that you pair young Ron with a classmate… and yet you forced Harry and Miss. Granger with a pair of Slytherins when you knew that there was a good chance that something was going to happen?"

"Because he's a prejudice git," Sirius spat underneath his voice.

**"Face you partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"**

**Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.**

"Good idea," Mad-Eye said with a brief nod.

"Yeah, I'm willing to bet that Malfoy would attack while Harry the second that he wasn't looking," Sirius frowned.

**"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents-_only _to disarm them-we don't want any accidents-one...two...three-"**

"That idiot," Minerva sighed. "Does he really think that disarming is all they're going to do?"

**Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two": His spell hit Harry so hard he felt as though he'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. **

"Why that little…" Sirius yelled in rage. Malfoy was so lucky that he was safe up at the school at the moment. Remus, sensing another long rant, went on quickly.

**He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "_Rictusempra!_"**

**A jet of silver light his Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.**

**"_I said disarm only!"_ Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, **

Snape rolled his eyes as he sneered, "Did he really think the students would listen?"

**as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had his him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake;**

"Now is not the time to be honorable," Moody said annoyed. "Attack him when he's down! He doesn't play by the same rules!"

"This just proves that he's a good person," Sirius said stubbornly.

"Good person?" Severus repeated. "You're talking like a little kid."

Albus felt his pride for Harry rise, even if it had turned out to be a mistake. It proved that he was something special… someone capable of accomplishing great things.

**gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, _"Tarantallegra!"_ and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.**

**"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.**

"I hate to say it," Tonks said conversationally. "But I think I would prefer if Snape was in charge. I mean, anyone would be better than Lockhart—and though Snape might be cold and heartless but at least he would know what he's doing."

"I'm in the room you know!" he said loudly.

**"_Finite Incantatem!" _he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.**

**A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting;** **Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.**

"A headlock?!" Molly screamed. "She could've done her a serious injury!"

"You mean to tell me that Slytherins were fighting dirty?" Sirius asked sarcastically, "No…"

**"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan... Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot-**

**"I think I'd better teach you how to _block _unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall.**

"Yeah, it might've been a good idea to teach that to them, BEFORE you let them attack each other!" Minerva said coldly.

**He glanced at Snape, whose black eye glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair-Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"**

**"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. **

"Do you have to shut down all of your students?!" Sirius yelled at the greasy-haired man, who continued to look away from him.

"Severus," Albus said sternly. "I'm not saying that you should start praising your students all the time… but you must try not to insult them every chance you get."

Severus just glared at them all, refusing to say anything. All of the other teachers where to soft on them! Someone had to do it…

**"How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.**

**"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.**

**"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco pointed his wand at you, you do _this._"**

**He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it.**

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Arthur asked.

**Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops-my wand is a little overexcited-"**

"Oh, yeah… sure blame it on the wand!" Sirius said exasperated.

"Actually, I think that it was the wand. It must've been so excited to get away from his hand!" Tonks said.

Sirius laughed. "Good point. I don't blame it."

**Snaped moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. **

"Oh, no… this can't be good," Sirius stated, with yet another dark look at the Potion's Master who was looking at the book.

**Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"**

**"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.**

**"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.**

**Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"**

**"What, drop my wand?"**

Everyone laughed, even Severus smirked a little.

"He gets that cheek from his mother," Sirius said fondly.

**But Lockhart wasn't listening.**

**"Three-two-one-go!" he shouted.**

**Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "_Serpensortia!_"**

**The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long, black snake shot out of it, fell heabily onto the floor between them, and rasied itself, read to strike.**

There were several gasps of shock. Sirius rounded on Severus, "What the hell did you tell him to do?"

"Black," Severus replied coolly, "What makes you think that it was me who told him to cast that spell?"

"That's some advance magic," Remus said, giving Severus a cold look. "And a dangerous one. I highly doubt that a second year would've known how to do it."

"There's a snake after Harry! Who _cares_ who did it right now?" Molly shrieked. "And even if it doesn't attack him, it could've attacked any one of the students!"

**There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.**

**"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it..."**

"You're the one who told Malfoy to conjure it!" Tonks said angrily. "What if it went after any of the students? You would be the one responsible!"

Albus caught Severus eyes and gave him a look that clearly said that they would have to talk about this later.

**"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart.**

"No!" Molly shouted. "He's only going to make it worse!"

"I almost rather take my chances with the snake!" Sirius muttered.

**He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud band; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchly and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.**

"Why doesn't it go after Lockhart?" Tonks demanded. "That's what I would've done if I was just smashed against the floor."

**Harry wasn't sure what made him do it. He wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs were carrying him forward as though he was on casters and that he had shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him alone!" And miraculously - inexplicably - the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Harry felt the fear drain out of him. He knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how he knew it, he couldn't have explained.**

"Oh, no," Remus groaned.

"What's wrong now?" Sirius said. "The snake stopped! That kid's safe now!"

"Don't you remember?" Remus asked sadly. "Harry just spoke to the snake… he's a Parselmouth remember?"

"So?" Molly demanded. "That doesn't change who he is."

Remus held up his hands and said, "I never said that it does. I find it unusual, but I don't care if he can talk to snakes or not. All I'm saying is that the whole school will know that he can talk to snakes."

Both Molly and Sirius had gone very pale as they looked to Dumbledore, who was looking gloomy, "You're right," he said weakly. "Most of the school thought that he was Slytherin's heir after this."

This really showed how upset Molly was at this that she didn't even tell Sirius off when he started to swear at the top of his lungs.

**He looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful-but certainly not angry and scared.**

**"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.**

**Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in and unexpected way: It was shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn't like it. **

Severus could only think on one person who could talk to snakes and that was the Dark Lord. The fact that Potter possessed the same dark ability was disturbing to him. He was trying to figure out how Potter had such a rare ability.

**He was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then he felt a tugging on the back of his robes.**

**"Come on," said Ron's voice in his ear. "Move-come _on_-"**

**Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Harry didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Ron nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged him all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room. Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"**

**"I'm a what?" said Harry.**

"You mean to tell me that he didn't even know that he was a Parselmouth?" Sirius demanded.

"Who would've told him?" Moody asked, looking unimpressed that Harry Potter could talk to snakes. "He probably couldn't see the big deal about it."

**"_A Parselmouth!_" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"**

**"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story**

"What do you know?" Tonks said. "You're right Mad-Eye."

"Always am," he said smugly.

**-but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set if free without meaning to-that was before I knew I was a wizard-"**

**"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.**

**"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."**

**"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."**

**"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-"**

**"Oh, that what you said to it?" **

"You didn't think he spurred it on, did you?" Arthur asked Severus. "You were there. What did it sound like?"

"I highly doubted that he spurred it on," Severus said silkily. "It sounded like a strangled hissing sound to me before the snake stopped moving."

**"What d'you mean? You were there - you heard me -"**

**"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything-no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know -"**

"Why on earth would people think that he was egging the snake on?!" Sirius demanded. "It sounds like Harry might've saved that kid's life!"

"Because the students remembered that he was found at the scene of the first attack," Albus said in a weary sounding voice. "And Slytherin as well as his descendants are well known for their ability to talk to snakes. They thought that anyone would can speak Parseltongue is one of his descendants."

"Well, that's just the most stupidest thing I've ever heard of," Sirius snapped as he folded his arms, looking like a small child who was being punished.

**Harry gaped at him.**

**"I spoke a different language? But-I didn't realize - how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"**

"That is a good question," Sirius said, with a raised eyebrow. "You mean to tell me that Harry never realized that he was speaking a different language at all? He thought that he was speaking English the whole time?"

"Sure sounds like it," Remus said slowly, "But how is that possible? Why would he be able to speak to snakes in the first place?"

"Because of Voldemort," Albus said simply. They all looked at him in surprise and he answered, "When Voldemort failed to kill Harry that night, he unknowingly transferred a few of his own powers to Harry. That is how he can speak to snakes and have that connection to Voldemort's mind."

Sirius felt as though a block of ice slipped into his stomach. "Voldemort transferred some of his powers to Harry?" he repeated softly.

Albus could only nod dully, "Not on purpose… but yes." He then noticed their horrified expressions and said gently, "That doesn't change who Harry is of course. As you all said before—it doesn't matter what powers he has."

Sirius thought that over before he nodded. Really, he couldn't care less what kind of powers that Harry had… as long as he was alive, well, and happy. Besides, the more he thought about it, the idea that he shared a connection with Voldemort must've horrified Harry even more than it did to any of them. He's just so relieved that his godson turned out so good. The exact opposite of Voldemort.

**Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were looking as though someone had died. Harry couldn't see what was so terrible.**

**"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" he said. "What does it matter _how _I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"**

Tonks laughed at that, "Good comeback."

**"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."**

**Harry's mouth fell open.**

**"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something-"**

"No, Harry," Sirius said. "You're not."

**"But I'm not," said Harry, with a panic he couldn't quite explain.**

**"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be.**

"No, he's not," Sirius said, getting tired of repeating this. Really, how could Harry think that? He was in Gryffindor for crying out loud.

**Harry lay awake for hours that night. Through a gap in the curtains around his four-poster he watched snow starting to drift past the tower window and wondered...**

**_Could _****he be a descendant of Salazar Slyterin? He didn't know anything about his father's family, after all. The Dursleys had always forbidden questions about his wizarding relatives.**

"They had no right to do that," Sirius said angrily. But then added, "Though I highly doubt they would've been able to tell him much of anything anyway."

"Will you stop interrupting every other sentence?" Moody said annoyed. "I want to get to the potion."

**Quietly, Harry tried to say something in Parseltongue. The words wouldn't come. It seemed he had to be face-to-face with a snake to do it.**

**_But I'm in _****Gryffindor, Harry thought. _The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood..._**

**_Ah,_**** said the nasty little voice in his brain, _but the Sorting Hat _wanted _to put you in Slyterin, don't you remember?_**

"Hmph," Minerva sniffed. "The Sorting Hat just likes to toy with students."

"There's no way that he could've ended up in my house anyway," Severus muttered, shuttering at the very thought of Potter in Slytherin. The boy was far to noble and stubborn for the best house.

**Harry turned over. He'd see Justin the next day in Herbology and he'd explain that he'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on, which (he thought angrily, pummeling his pillow) any fool should have realized.**

"They should have," agreed Sirius bitterly.

**By the next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.**

"I agree with that," Molly nodded, knowing how careful they would have to be.

**Harry fretted about this next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their time off to play a game of wizard chess.**

**"For heaven's sake, Harry," said Hermione, exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. **

**"Go and _find _Justin if it's so important to you."**

"Yeah," Sirius snorted. "And then knock some sense into his head!"

**So Harry got up and left through the portrait hole, wondering where Justin might be.**

**The castle was darker than it usually was in daytime because of the thick, swirling gray snow at every window. Shivering, Harry walked past classrooms where lessons were taking place, catching snatches of what was happening within. Professor McGonagall was shouting at someone who, by the sound of it, had turned his friend into a badger.**

"Oh, yes," Minerva sighed. "I remember that all too well."

"Who was it?" Tonks asked interested.

"Fred Weasley wasn't paying attention and instead of trying to turn his ferret into a water goblet, he turned Lee Jordon into a badger."

Sirius and Tonks roared with laughter. "Reminds me of one time that I turned that one kid into a sheep… do you remember who it was, Moony?"

"I believe that it was Bertram Aubrey," Remus said, fighting hard not to smile.

"Bertram?" Sirius repeated with a smile, "Wasn't he that same kid that me and James caused his head to swell twice its normal size."

"Yes," Minerva said, suddenly very stern. "You both were given double detention for a week."

Knowing that he was supposed to look ashamed, he put his head down and took up the expression appropriate for visiting the deathbed of a very dear friend.

**Resisting the urge to take a look, Harry walked up on some work, and deciding to check the library first.**

**A group of the Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology were indeed sitting at the back of the library , but they didn't seem to be working. Between the long lines of high bookshelves, Harry could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation. He couldn't see whether Justin was among them. He was walking toward them when something of what they were saying met his ears, and he paused to listen, hidden in the Invisibility section.**

"That's funny," Tonks said as she thought of that.

"But wouldn't people still be able to see that he was spying on them if he was in the Invisibility section?" Arthur asked.

"Nah," Remus said with a wave of his hand. "Only some of the books in that section are invisible."

**"So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually _told _him he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"**

"They _honestly _think that Harry's Slytherin's heir?" Molly asked, disbelieving. Really, they couldn't have been more wrong.

"Let me remind you, that Harry was found at the scene of the first attack and is a Parselmouth. Naturally, they came to conclusions that weren't true," Albus said sadly.

"That's just stupid," Sirius said disbelieving. "How can they possibly think Harry's the heir? He's the reason that Voldemort's gone! He's in GRYFFINDOR! And he risked his life the year before trying to protect the school and everyone in it from Voldemort!"

"If you were there, Sirius," Minerva said grimly, "What would you think?"

Sirius didn't know what to think. If he was still a student and there were attacks going on… "I don't know what I would've believed," he said at last. "But anyone with half a brain could see that Harry's not attacking the students!"

"Dumbledore?" Arthur asked suddenly, "Surely you didn't think it was Harry?"

"Of course not," Albus assured him. "I knew that it was Voldemort who was behind all this from the beginning, but I didn't know how. I would've loved it if Harry came to me and told me about hearing that voice however. But then again, I don't know if I would've been able to make the right guesses even if I did have that information."

**"You definitely think it _is _Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails anxiously.**

"What an idiot," Mad-Eye growled. "Actually thinking that a second year kid is capable of petrifying students… This generation really will believe anything don't they?" And he wasn't just talking about this—he was also silently mentioning how everyone seemed believe the lies from the Daily Prophet.

"I can't believe that anyone could actually believe something so… so absurd!" Molly sputtered furiously. "How can they think this for even a second?"

**"Hannah," said the stout boy solemnly, "he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark Wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."**

"Can you say prejudice?" Sirius growled furiously. "It doesn't matter if Harry can talk to snakes or not. I personally think that it might be useful someday."

"That's like saying that all werewolves are evil killers that only know how to bite," Tonks said equally furious as she gave Remus such a hard look that they both started to blush, though neither knew why.

**There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on, "Remember what was written on the wall? _Enemies of the Heir, Beware. _Potter had some sort of run in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter and the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know- Creevey's been attacked."**

"Oh and what about Hermione?" Arthur snapped. "She's a Muggle-born as well in case they forgotten. She would be marked down on that list as a possible victim and they actually think that Harry's planning on attack her next?"

"They're blinded by fear," Remus said angrily. "We all know that Harry would never do anything like this, but when it comes to fear,they would turn even against their best friends." He bit his lip as he thought of Wormtail… was it because of fear that turned him against his friends and sold them out to Voldemort?

"But now that I think about it," Moody said. "It is suspicious that everyone who Potter had a problem with was attacked. Personally, that kid Creevey had been irritating me, ever since he first appeared in this story."

"But about that cat?" Sirius asked. "I don't think that anyone would've blamed someone for attacking her."

"Harry's not like that," Molly said indignantly. "He'd never do anything of the sort!"

"I'm not saying that he would," Sirius snapped back at her, angry that she could even think that of him. "But you know what? Harry stopped Ron from kicking that cat the year before didn't he? Just more proof that he could never have done it."

**"He always seems so nice, though," said Hannah uncertainly, "and, well, he's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. He can't be all bad, can he?"**

"No, he isn't," Molly agreed sternly.

**Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs bent closer, and Harry edged nearer so that he could catch Ernie's words.**

**"No one knows how he survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that."**

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense!" Sirius yelled scathingly. "A baby that was barely a year old is sure to be the next nutjob Dark wizard to try to take over the world!"

"No one is born evil," Albus said shaking his head. "Everyone was both light and darkness inside them… we are all capable of great good and incredible evil… it's what we choose to do that determines who we are."

"I can't believe children these days," Minerva said indigently. "I do agree that Harry's survival is a marvel, but how could they really think like that? Not even the darkest of magic could've stopped the Killing Curse!"

"Yes," Sirius said sadly, "It was Lily's love for him that protected him from Voldemort. That's the exact opposite of anything dark."

"They're still just kids who are scared though," Albus said quietly, feeling sadness for his students. "They don't know what to think. Fear does that to even the best of us."

**He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "_That's _probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord_ competing _with him. I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding?"**

This was enough. Everyone in the room snorted at those last few sentences.

"Harry was a just a baby when that happened. All babies are born innocent, no one is just born a Dark wizard," Remus said shaking his head.

"This is all just pathetic," Tonks said as she put her legs across the arms of her chair and made herself more comfortable. "Maybe they should've gotten some proof before they jump to conclusions. I think that they'll be eating their words before this book is over."

"I can't wait for that," Sirius muttered feverishly.

**Harry couldn't take anymore. Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out from behind the bookshelves. If he hadn't been feeling so angry, he would have found the sight that greeted him funny: Every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been Petrified by the sight of him, and the color was draining out of Ernie's face.**

**"Hello," said Harry. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."**

"Harry," groaned Sirius. "What were you thinking?"

"His temper…" Remus sighed. "That is definitely Lily's temper. It used to get her into a lot of trouble remember?"

"All too well," Sirius said with a melancholy nod.

**The Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.**

**"What do you want with him?" said Ernie in a quavering voice.**

**"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Dueling Club," said Harry.**

**Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, "We were all there. We saw what happened."**

**"Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" said Harry.**

"Yeah, try to explain that one!" Sirius demanded.

**"All I saw,' said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake toward Justin."**

"Hope no one else started believing him," Molly stated.

"Yeah," agreed Arthur, "Good thing these are just kids right?"

Minerva looked to Severus and asked, "Be honest, Severus. Did it look like that?"

Severus thought back to that day, the look on Potter's face when he was talking to the snake. It didn't look like he was chasing it towards him—he looked mad… maybe even a little anxious?

"No," he replied simply. "He looked more mad at the snake than anything else. Like he was trying to tell it off for going after another student."

"See?" Sirius stated loudly. "If Snape could see that then why couldn't anyone else?"

**"I didn't chase it at him!" Harry said, his voice shaking with anger. "It didn't even _touch _him!"**

**"It was a very near miss," said Ernie. "And in case you're getting ideas," he added hastily, "I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so-"**

"He doesn't give a damn what kind of blood someone's got," Sirius said rolling his eyes.

"Yes," Albus nodded. "Not my choice of words, but I couldn't agree more."

**"I don't care what sort of blood you're got!" said Harry fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggle-borns?"**

"Yes, his mother and one of his best friends is Muggle-born," Mad-Eye stated as his eye rolled up to look back at the fireplace. "Kids these days…"

"Why didn't anyone think of that?" Molly asked furiously. "If people use their heads instead of jumping to conclusions all the time than we would have less problems in the world!"

**"I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with," said Ernie swiftly.**

"Who wouldn't? You would too if you ever had the misfortune of meeting them!" Tonks called crossly.

"They deserve to be hated anyway," Sirius spat with venom. "And Harry doesn't hate them because they're Muggles, he hates them because they're child-neglecting monsters who don't care about anyone but themselves! Anyone whose met them, and is half-way decent would wish them a painful death!"

**"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," said Harry. "I'd like to see you try it."**

"You tell them, Harry," Arthur cheered on.

**He turned on his heel and stormed out of the library, earning himself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing a gilded cover of a large spellbook.**

**Harry blundered up the corridor, barely noticing where he was going, he was in such a fury. The result was that he walked into something very large and solid, which knocked him backward onto the floor.**

**"Oh, hello, Hagrid," Harry said, looking up.**

"Oh, for a minute I thought that he walked into a wall or something," Tonks said in an oddly cheerful tone, trying to lighten the mood. It worked only a little bit though.

**Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.**

"A rooster?" Molly repeated in confusion.

"Why would he be carrying a dead rooster with him in the castle?" Arthur asked.

**"All righ', Harry?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"**

**"Canceled," said Harry, getting up. "What're you doing in here?"**

**Hagrid held up the limp rooster.**

**"Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop."**

**He peered more closely at Harry from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows.**

**"Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered-"**

"Oh, nothing much," Tonks said grimly. "Just that there's some kind of ancient evil monster wandering the school and attacking the Muggle-borns, they're brewing some Polyjuice potion in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and everyone thinks that Harry's Slytherin's heir and attacking everyone. Other than all that, no, nothing's wrong."

"You just summed things up nicely, Tonks," Sirius declared.

"I try my best," she smiled.

**Harry couldn't bring himself to repeat what Ernie and the rest of the Hufflepuffs had been saying about him.**

**"It's nothing," he said. "I'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books."**

**He walked off, his mind still full of what Ernie had said about him.**

**"_Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born..."_**

"Poor Harry," Molly sighed, trying hard not to cry. How was this fair? Just what is wrong with the world by putting a young boy though all this? He's been through so much already and everyone now thinks that he's responsible whenever something goes wrong.

"The price of fame," Sirius said bitterly. "Every time something goes wrong, the blame is always put on you."

"You would know wouldn't you, Black?" Severus asked coolly. "The blame of the breakout of Azkaban was placed on you."

"Of course it was," she said sullenly.

**Harry stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draft that was blowing through a loose windowpane. He was halfway down the passage when he tripped headlong over something lying on the floor.**

**He turned to squint at what he'd fallen over and felt as though his stomach had dissolved.**

"No…" Minerva sighed. "So this is how it happened."

"How what happened?" demanded Tonks, looking pale. Remus read out quickly, fearing what Harry had just found.

**Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Harry had ever seen.**

**It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.**

Jaws were dropped and half the room shared astonished glances. "How could anyone do that to a ghost? How can you petrify a ghost?"

"Whatever did it would have to be very powerful," Moody explained calmly as he examined the top of his staff.

**Harry got to his feet, his breathing fast and shallow, his heart doing a kind of drumroll against his ribs. He looked wildly up and down the corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies. The only sounds were the muffled voices of teachers from the classes on either side.**

**He could run, and no one would ever know he had been there. But he couldn't just leave them lying here... He had to get help... Would anyone believe he hadn't had anything to do with this?**

"Dumbledore would," Remus said looking at the Headmaster. "The students… not so much."

"So let me see if I go this straight," Mad-Eye said thoughtfully. "We've got some spiders, petrified students and ghosts, blood on the walls, and Potter's the number one suspect. This has to be the most interesting year I've ever heard of."

"Interesting?!" Molly screamed at him. "How can you call students being attacked and Harry being blamed for all this interesting?!"

"Come on, Molly," he said, "This stuff doesn't happen every day. Don't you know what the most interesting thing in the world is? The unexpected."

"I think that you spent one too many years hunting Death Eaters," she told him fiercely. Tonks on the other hand leaned in and whispered to her as she fumed, "You know? I'm impressed that you can stand up to him like this. Even people who worked with him for years are too afraid to say anything to him."

Molly only smiled grimly at her.

**As he stood there, panicking, a door right next to him opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out.**

"Peeves?" demanded Sirius. He normally liked that poltergeist, but him showing up now can't be a good for Harry. "Can't Harry catch a break? It's just one bit of bad luck after another! Peeves isn't going to help…"

**"Why, it's potty wee Potter!" cackled Peeves, knocking Harry's glasses askew as he bounced past him. "What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking-"**

**Peeves stopped, halfway through a midair somersault. Upside down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before Harry could stop him, screamed, "Attack! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"**

"You have to hand it to him," Arthur said with a sigh. "He sure knows how to let everyone know when something's wrong."

"Well that is one way to get the word out," Tonks said as she bit her lower lip.

Mad-Eye turned his eye to Dumbledore and said, "You know I never realized this before, but it's funny how Peeves is always around and ready to whoop it up at the slightest disturbance. Come to think of it, he makes an awfully good intruder security alarm. Is that why you keep him around?"

Albus gave him a small smile. "One of the reasons. Considering how he loves to create chaos, he could foil any plan to take over the castle, he is useful to have around. But also, Peeves comes with the castle. Not even I can get rid of him."

**Crash-crash-crash- door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Harry found himself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall cam running, followed by her own class, one of whom still had black-and-white striped-hair.**

"That shouting scared my class half to death," Minerva said sadly, thinking that there might've been a dead student just outside her classroom.

**She used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene. "_Caught in the act!_" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Harry.**

"Not him again!" Molly cried for Harry.

"Like I said," Sirius spat out, "It's just one bit of bad luck after another."

**"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.**

**Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:**

**"_Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done,_**

**_You're killing off students, you think it's good fun_****-"**

"Peeves was always good with making up songs right off the spot," Sirius said to himself. "But I'm glad to see that he's gotten a lot better than when I was going. Half of his songs didn't rhyme then."

"Now is not the time to be impressed!" Molly shouted at him.

**"That's enough, Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with his tongue out at Harry.**

**Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the Astronmy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft. This left Harry and Professor McGonagall alone together.**

**"This way, Potter," she said.**

**"Professor," said Harry at once, "I swear I didn't -"**

**"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.**

"Not you too, Minerva!" Molly cried in amazement. "I never thought that you would… I was sure that you would believe him!"

Minerva opened her mouth and looked like she was about to defend herself when Sirius asked angrily, "Did you really believe that Harry would be doing this?"

"Of course not," she said. "I never believed that Harry would do this. I know Harry would never harm someone else like this. I was just doing my job. I know that if he really had done it then he wouldn't have stuck around. He would have left as soon as it was done."

**They marched in silence around a corner and she stepped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.**

"Oh, good," sighed Tonks. "You were taking him to see Dumbledore."

"You better not have done anything," Sirius said as he glared at Dumbledore. "Why did you want to talk to him anyway?"

"I didn't think that Harry was behind these attacks," Albus said softly. "But he was found at the scene of two of the three attacks and I thought that he would have wanted to tell me anything at all."

Sirius sighed in relief, but was still worried. Why were the people that Harry had a problem with being attacked? Voldemort was behind this… but how? He must've been trying to frame Harry… try to get him kicked out of Hogwarts no doubt… if not—and he shuttered at the very thought—trying to kill him before the year was over.

**"Lemon drop!" she said.**

"What is with you and Lemon drops?" asked Minerva as she looked to Dumbledore.

Albus could only laugh. "Not sure. I've always had a deep fondness for them."

**This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Harry couldn't fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As he and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Harry heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Harry saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.**

"Ah, Dumbledore's office!" Sirius sighed happily as he thought back to his own schooldays. "I think I spent half of my school years in there. It's like home."

"Yes," Albus said, his eyes twinkling. "I can't begin to count the number of times I had you and James in there."

Sirius just smiled. "Good memories."

Molly and Minerva both shared an annoyed look.

**He knew now where he was being taken. This must be where Dumbledore lived.**

"Well, that's it," Remus said as he shut the book. "You didn't give him a hard time did you?" he asked as he stood up for a minute and stretched.

"I sure hope not," Albus said thoughtfully. He then held out his hands and asked, "I wouldn't mind reading next. If no one else objects?"

They all shook their heads as Molly got up and went to fetch them all some more tea. They all waited until she came back, levitating a tray with some strong tea, and a few cakes for them all. "So what's going to happen next?" Tonks asked as she took her own cup. "Anyone want to make some bets?"

"Whatever it is," Sirius said, "I bet that it's going to be good."

They all waited as Dumbledore took the book and opened it up. He blinked in slight surprise before chuckling. "I think you just got your wish, Sirius," he said smiling before looking at Moody and said, "I think that we're going to enjoy this next chapter."

"Why?" Minerva asked in surprise as she was about to take a sip.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out, unable to hide a large smile, "**Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion**."

**(Yay, it's finally done! I was beginning to think that I would lose my mind. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Hope it will tide you all over until the next one is up.)**


	14. The Polyjuice Potion

**Just thought that I should put in a little something special for this chapter…**

**The ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion:**

**1. ****12 lacewing flies that have been stewed for 21 days**

**2. ****1 ounce of crude Antimony**

**3. ****4 leeches that have been "unsucculated" (suckers have been removed)**

**4. ****16 scruples of fluxweed that were picked at full moon**

**5. ****3 drachms of pulverized Sal Ammoniac**

**6. ****Pulverized blades of knotgrass**

**7. ****1 pinch of powdered horn of a Bicorn that has been "lunar extracted" (collected time coincided underneath a new moon)**

**8. ****Filings and rasplings of Saltpeter, Mercury and Mars ("filings of Mars" means iron filings)**

**9. ****Shredded dried skin of a Boomslang**

**10. ****Extract of The-Transfigured-Being-To-Be (A.K.A hair)**

**Now I have a question for you all. Just for a bit of fun. When you review, I would like to know what color you think that your polyjuice potion would become and what it would taste like. And tell me why… the ones with the best answers might get a special shout-out at the end of the next chapter. I just thought that this would be fun for everyone… ;-)**

**Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion**

Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out, unable to hide a large smile, "**Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion**."

"No way," Tonks said, but she was grinning as Mad-Eye smiled triumphantly.

Moody looked at Severus who leaned over to read the chapter name himself, as if he thought it was a joke. Really, people don't give those three enough credit. Being underestimated in battle is bad, but underestimating is even worse. Really, these kids seem to be doing a better job than the Order is… he hoped that the rest of them were taking notes.

"Wow, you mean to tell me that they actually managed to brew a sixth year potion by themselves and sneak into the Slytherin common room?" asked Arthur in a stunned voice.

"Very impressive for a few second years," Remus agreed.

"They won't successfully make it," said Severus stubbornly.

"Then why would this chapter be called '_The Polyjuice Potion'_?!" Tonks asked him as Minerva stared at the book with wide eyes.

"They could finally admit that they can't make it and give it up all together," he said persistently, refusing to admit that a bunch of slackers could do this.

Sirius snorted, "You just don't want to admit that Hermione's better at potions than you were!"

"Watch it, Black!"

Dumbledore grinned at Snape who's narrowed his eyes. _'Really Severus,' _thought Albus. _'You are so determine to believe that kids don't know as much as you do. I hope that this chapter will make you see that they can take more than we thought of.'_

But he realized with a jolt that was how he felt about Harry knowing too much information about Voldemort. He blinked as he thought that maybe Harry was ready and able to finally learn about the prophecy. Maybe, he was ready for it when the boy first asked him in the Hospital Wing nearly four years ago. But before he could come to a resolve, Molly demanded, "Albus! Keep reading! I want to know if did this!"

"You want to know if they pull it off?" Minerva asked her with eyebrows raised.

"I never would have guessed," Sirius said with a grin.

"I just want to know that nothing bad happened to them!" she said her eyes furious. Albus merely chuckled as he obliged her.

**They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. It opened silently and they entered. Professor McGonagall told Harry to wait and left him there, alone. Harry looked around. One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices Harry had visited so far this year, Dumbledore's was by far the most interesting.**

Albus smiled and said, "Why thank you Harry, I like it as well."

"You do have the best office," Sirius admitted, having spent half his school life in there.

**If he hadn't been scared out of his wits that he was about to be thrown out of school, he would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it.**

**It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. **

"Yeah, what do they do exactly?" Remus asked interested. He always loved anything to do with Dumbledore's instruments, wanting to know more about what they do and how they work.

Albus laughed at Remus's eagerness, these books really were doing some good for them all. Seeing things in a completely new light, a new respect for details, and helping them forget that they were in the middle of a war.

But most of all… maybe help them see that maybe they shouldn't be trying so hard to protect those that might not need protecting… like Harry? Albus didn't understand why he felt this, but he couldn't help but feel a little bit saddened that Harry might not need him there to protect him as much as he first thought. At least not anymore…

Once they finish this book he would be sure to think this over much more carefully.

Nonetheless, he smiled warmly at Remus and promised, "I'll be sure to tell you later."

**The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. **

Sirius snorted with laughter. Really, if he wasn't worried that Harry might be in trouble for something that wasn't his fault, he would've really enjoyed this chapter. "They don't need to sleep. They only pretend to so they can tell the rest of the school what they overheard later on."

"You would know wouldn't you?" Minerva asked sternly. "You've been in there enough times."

He gave her a grin before saying, "Aside from Peeves, they're the reason why you can't seem to keep a secret for long at Hogwarts. And yes, I was almost a weekly visitor!"

Tonks on the other hand was talking to Molly and Arthur, "Ever wonder what old Headmasters and Headmistresses do for retirement? Especially if they're just hanging around?"

"Funny," Arthur grinned. "I've never really thought of that."

"I'm sure that they try to find some sense of peace," Molly said thoughtfully before looking at Dumbledore, "You aren't planning on retiring anytime soon are you, Dumbledore?"

He smiled at her reassuringly. "No, I don't believe so. I can't seem to bring myself to leave Hogwarts for very long. Unless something happens to me, I hope that I will be allowed to keep teaching for a long time."

They all sighed in relief, all of them silently hoping that the old Headmaster doesn't leave the school that he gave so much to for a long time.

**There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat.**

**Harry hesitated. He cast a wary eye around the sleeping witches and wizards on the walls. Surely it couldn't hurt if he took the hat down and tried it on again? Just to see… just to make sure it had put him in the right House.**

"Harry," Sirius groaned frustrated. "Stop worrying! You are in the right house!"

"I'm afraid that after all this," Albus said sadly, "He really doubts where he belongs and wants to know some answers."

Really, even at this young age, he was trying to discover who he was and where he belongs. Albus held those answers… oh, why wass he having so much trouble to find a good time to tell the boy the truth?

**He walked quietly around the desk, lifted the hat from its shelf, and lowered it slowly onto his head. It was much too large and slipped down over his eyes, just as it had done the last time he'd put it on. Harry stared at the black inside of the hat, waiting. Then a small voice said in his ear, "Bee in your bonnet, Harry Potter?"**

**"Er, yes," Harry muttered. "Er — sorry to bother you — I wanted to ask —"**

Albus chuckled at that, feeling slightly amused that Harry was being so polite to the Sorting Hat.

**"You've been wondering whether I put you in the right House," said the hat smartly. "Yes… you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said before —" Harry's heart leapt — "you would have done well in Slytherin —"**

"Well you're damn wrong aren't you?!" Sirius yelled out loudly, surprising several people.

Albus raised his hand as Sirius looked ready to go into a long shouting rant. "Even the Sorting Hat can't see the future, Sirius. Just because someone was one way when they were eleven doesn't mean that's who that person will be after a few years. The hat can only read people's minds, not their souls. The latter is what truly matters. And the hat said that Harry _would_ have done well in Slytherin. Harry would've done well in any house remember? Besides, something tells me that he wouldn't do well in that house at the moment do you?"

Sirius thought about that for a few seconds before settling back down in his armchair, satisfied for now.

**Harry's stomach plummeted. He grabbed the point of the hat and pulled it off. It hung limply in his hand, grubby and faded. Harry pushed it back onto its shelf, feeling sick.**

**"You're wrong," he said aloud to the still and silent hat. It didn't move. Harry backed away, watching it. Then a strange, gagging noise behind him made him wheel around.**

**He wasn't alone after all. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. **

"What happened to Fawkes?" Tonks asked, startled by the Phoenix's descriptions. Dumbledore smiled at her and said, "It was a Burning Day. Shame that Harry had to see him during that time."

**Harry stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Harry thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Harry watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail.**

**Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames.**

Arthur laughed as the others shook their heads incredulously, "Figures, that would happen with Harry's luck."

**Harry yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. He looked feverishly around in case there was a glass of water somewhere but couldn't see one; the bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash on the floor.**

"What a way to meet Fawkes," Tonks stated as she giggled at the thought of Harry's face when the bird caught fire.

"That'll leave a lasting impression," Moody said as he took another swig from his hip flask.

**The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.**

**"Professor," Harry gasped. "Your bird — I couldn't do anything — he just caught fire —"**

**To Harry's astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.**

"He probably thought that you were mad, Dumbledore," Moody stated with a curt laugh. "Of course you are mad—not as mad as myself mind you, but not that far off."

"You say that like you're proud of it!" Molly said staring at him. Really, how can anyone be so proud that they're as mad as a box of frogs?

He gave her a toast before draining what was left of his hip flask, "Cheers Molly. Being mad makes things interesting. What kind of life is a boring existence?"

"True," Tonks grinned. "You sure do know how to make going to work every day memorable. You give me about ten threats a day to get me to do the job right, and you do get pretty creative."

"You need it," Moody exclaimed. "You, Tonks, won't learn unless someone else forces it down your throat."

**"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."**

**He chuckled at the stunned look on Harry's face.**

"You know, sometimes I think you do that just to make the rest of us feel like we don't know anything," Sirius declared remembering all the times that his old teacher did that to him.

"Well, that shouldn't have been too difficult for you, Black," Severus said with his trademark, lip-curl.

Sirius's eyes narrowed at him. "Dueling you is no longer my main priory," he growled. "But it's still on my to-do list."

"The day that you beat me in a duel, Black," Severus said as his eyes also narrowed in distaste. "Is the day that I'll award 100 points to Gryffindor. Never gonna happen."

**"Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him…"Harry looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one.**

**"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."**

"It's weird," Arthur stated suddenly looking at Dumbledore. They all looked up at him and he said, "Hearing you read about yourself, Dumbledore. It makes me feel like this is happening right now. Like the next time I look up, I'll find myself in your office, and you're talking to Harry. It's a very odd feeling hearing about things that you've seen before but never take the time to really see it."

They all thought about that, and realized it's true. Minerva looked around at the dingy-looking room, noticing everything in so much more details, wondering just how much she never noticed before…

Sirius was thinking of the times when he was in Dumbledore's office, the words were bring everything back—it was almost like he was stepping back in time and he was still just a trouble-maker with his best friend by his side as always. And when he looked to his right, he was surprised to see that it wasn't James, but Remus sitting there. In fact it took him a minute to remember that James was no longer with them and it brought back those damn tears in his eyes.

Remus wondered why he never thought to notice the little details that made things so special—what made them so unique—what else had he missed after all these years? For some reason, he looked up at Tonks and just seemed to notice every little aspect about her face… before realizing what he was doing and turned away when she caught his eye.

Noticing everyone and everything was what they taught you in the very first lesson in Auror training, but she never saw anything the way that this twelve year old Harry saw. Tonks looked up and was surprised to see that she was suddenly noticing every scar, every line in Remus's face as he looked at her. He blinked and turned away, leaving Tonks wondering what just happened.

The two Weasleys were wondering just what happened to that innocent little boy that they first met. The same boy that was once so open to the rest of the world had now become so… withdrawn. Keeping things locked up inside, no longer filled with wonder over the tiniest little thing. They wanted to protect what was left of that innocence that Harry still had. But as long as this war was going on… they knew that Harry wasn't the only one that would lose that light of wonder from their eyes.

Dumbledore on the other hand was thinking back to that day in his office. Minerva had just come in and told him that there had been another attack and that Harry had been found at the scene once again. Of course he knew right away that Harry wasn't behind these attacks… but he had hoped that Harry would come forward and tell him anything at all that would help because there was no way that it could be just a coincidence that he was found there. He smiled fondly at the memory of seeing Harry with that look of shock and amazement after Fawkes died and was reborn…

_'War…'_ Albus thought sadly, _'It always hurts the innocent the most.' _One of the many reasons that he couldn't bring himself to tell Harry the truth just yet, wanting to protect that light and innocence for as long as he could. But he feared that if he waited any longer than it could end in disaster.

**In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Harry had forgotten what he was there for, but it all came back to him as Dumbledore settled himself in the high chair behind the desk and fixed Harry with his penetrating, light-blue stare.**

**Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.**

Albus couldn't help but laugh. Really, you couldn't ask for a more loyal friend than Hagrid.

**"It wasn' Harry, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter him seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir —"**

"Good old, Hagrid," Remus said with a smile.

**Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere. "it can't've bin him, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to."**

"That does it," Sirius chuckled. "If I ever get my named cleared, I'm buying Hagrid a drink when I get out of this house!"

**"Hagrid, I —"**

**"— yeh've got the wrong boy, sir, I know Harry never —"**

**"Hagrid!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that Harry attacked those people."**

**"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster."**

**And he stomped out looking embarrassed.**

Tonks was laughing, "It's so funny when you talk like Hagrid, Dumbledore. You do a good impression of him."

That caused another round of laughing from them all, except for Snape who was looking like he wished he could be anywhere else—and Moody who just smirked for a brief second before he glared at his empty flask, as if it was to blame for being empty.

**"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Harry repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.**

**"No, Harry, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you."**

**Harry waited nervously while Dumbledore considered him, the tips of his long fingers together.**

**"I must ask you, Harry, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."**

"It's ok, Harry," Remus said, as if he hoped the book version of Harry could hear him. "You can tell him."

**Harry didn't know what to say. He thought of Malfoy shouting, "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" and of the Polyjuice Potion simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. **

"I wonder what you would've done if he did tell you that," Sirius laughed.

"I have no idea," Albus chortled. "I don't know if I should've congratulated them, or give them detention."

"They're making a potion to sneak into another house common room!" Minerva said. "And you're talking about congratulating them?!"

"Yeah, but it was a 6th year potion made by a bunch of second-years," Remus disagreed.

"It won't work," Severus said, refusing to believe it.

They just ignored him.

**Then he thought of the disembodied voice he had heard twice and remembered what Ron had said: "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." He thought, too, about what everyone was saying about him, and his growing dread that he was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin…**

Albus sighed, wishing that Harry could've opened up and talked to him about all this.

The others seemed to think along the same lines, "Come on, Harry!" Tonks said. "You can't keep everything locked up forever! If there's anyone out there who'd listen to you, it's Dumbledore!"

"He's just putting himself through more than he has to," Remus sighed.

"I'm sure that Dumbledore would've listened! It would've made you feel better at least!"

**"No," said Harry. "There isn't anything, Professor…"**

Dumbledore sighed, understanding why Harry didn't want to say anything to him—but still wishing that Harry felt comfortable enough to open up to him that day.

"Why doesn't this surprise me?" Mad-Eye growled.

Severus ran his hand over his face in annoyance, of course Potter would prefer to handle this by himself.

Molly looked a little upset that Harry was putting himself through all this.

"I think that he gets that stubbornness from his parents," Sirius said, the only one smiling slightly, as he remembered James persistence at asking Lily out, and Lily's refusal throughout the years.

**The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost?** **people asked each other; what terrible** **power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.**

**"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Harry and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."**

**Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. **

"Can't they think for themselves?" Tonks asked incredulously. "But you would think that all the Slytherins would stick around and wait to see if anyone else got attacked.

**But Harry was glad that most people were leaving. He was tired of people skirting around him in the corridors, as though he was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as he passed.**

"And I thought that Harry was the one who can speak Parseltongue," Sirius growled, angry that anyone could treat his godson like this.

Remus also looked gloomily, knowing first-hand what it was to be feared and hated because of his own… condition. He understood completely how terrible it was to not be able to walk anywhere without someone running from him as if he was about to turn into a wolf and attack any second.

**Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through…"**.

Sirius couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. Really, he loved those twins, he wished that he and James could've gone to school with them, they would've done some legendary stuff together.

"Those two really are outdoing themselves!" he laughed.

"People are getting hurt and they're joking about it!?" Molly yelled angrily. "This will only encourage the other students to be more afraid! Nobody would ever forget about this Heir of Slytherin business if they kept yelling around like that!"

"But at least those two think that the idea that Harry attacking the students is funny," Tonks stated. "The idea that Harry's Slytherin's heir is just ludicrous and at least someone other than Ron and Hermione believes him."

**Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.**

**"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.**

**"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."**

**"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.**

This set everyone into sneers and laughter, except for a disapproving Molly, but even she was fighting the corners of her mouth not to smile.

**Ginny didn't find it amusing either.**

**"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.**

**Harry didn't mind; it made him feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of his being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous. **

"See?" Sirius said in triumph. "They're just trying to lighten the mood!"

"It's still isn't funny!" she repeated stubbornly.

**But their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.**

**"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."**

**"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."**

**At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Harry found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that he, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private. Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. **

"It was so lonely without them around," Molly sighed, thinking how much she missed having everyone home at Christmas.

"But it was also the first Christmas where we got to sleep in since before Bill was born," Arthur laughed, which cause Molly to smile a little.

**Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behavior, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room.**

**He had already told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.**

"Like we needed his support," Severus grumbled under his breath. Really, that Weasley was truly full of himself.

**Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry and Ron, the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both.**

**"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.**

**"Hermione — you're not supposed to be in here —" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.**

**"Happy Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."**

"No," Severus began.

"You can't deny it forever," Sirius said, beaming. "Just admit to it! The three of them pulled it off!"

"Don't get to cocky," Minerva said, "I agree that it's an impressive feat, but we have to wait and see if they really did do it. There's still time to withdraw if they want…"

"Sure, like they went through all that and then decide not use it," Tonks said sarcastically. "Come on! Let's get to the good stuff!"

**Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake.**

**"Are you sure?"**

**"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat**

Sirius bared his teeth at the mention of the rat, but didn't say anything.

**so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak.**

**"Hello," said Harry happily as she landed on his bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"**

**She nibbled his ear in an affectionate sort of way,** **which was a far better present than the one that she had brought him, which turned out to be from the Dursleys. **

"That doesn't surprise me," Tonks muttered angrily.

"Surprises me that the gits even thought about giving him something," Sirius replied bitterly. He remembered from the last book that they gave him a fifty pence piece. They better have given him something good to make up for that hell of a summer… but then Dumbledore read out in a rather cold voice.

**They had sent Harry a toothpick and a note telling him to find out whether he'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too.**

Albus was shaking his head sadly. _'If I only could…'_ he thought guiltily at the thought of what Harry was forced to go through because he thought it was best for him.

"I'd rather he stayed at Hogwarts!" Sirius yelled as his anger threatened to overpower him again. If he didn't want to know if the potion worked or not, he was sure that he would've after the Durselys this time. To him, the Dursleys were no better than those damn Death Eaters and Voldemort! They were just the Muggle version of his own pathetic excuse for a family.

Molly scowled fiercely at the book as she remembered just how she felt when she found out how Harry was treated at that house! It's no wonder he was so reckless—he probably thought that no one would care if he died or not… which wasn't true in the slightest.

**The rest of Harry's Christmas presents were far more satisfactory. Hagrid had sent him a large tin of treacle fudge,** **which Harry decided to soften by the fire before eating;**

"Good thinking," Remus said and smiled in spite of himself.

**Ron had given him a book called Flying with the Cannons, a book of interesting facts about his favorite Quidditch team, and Hermione had bought him a luxurious eagle-feather quill.**

**Harry opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake. **

Most of them smiled that Harry was, for once, was receiving gifts that he deserved and from those who care for him.

**He read her card with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about Mr. Weasley's car (which hadn't been seen since its crash with the Whomping Willow), and the bout of rule-breaking he and Ron were planning next.**

"Don't worry about it Harry," said Molly soothingly. "We long since forgiven you."

Remus looked up at Severus and said to him, "At least Harry feels guilty about any rules that he's going to break before doing anything. Proof that he's not the trouble-maker that you make him out to be." Severus glared at him, hating to admit it… but he knew it to be true. Not that he would ever say it out loud. He was sure that he would find some proof of Potter's arrogance and selfishness before the book ended.

**No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.**

"That is true," Dumbledore said, smiling. Not even the toad Umbridge wandering up and down the house tables could spoil the Christmas they had this year. But it would've made things so much more pleasant without her stalking his students.

**The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling.**

**Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. **

Sirius and Remus both starting smiling, "So much for never drinking again," Sirius said with a bark of a laugh.

**Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," **

"That sounds like something I would've done," Sirius laughed. "Why didn't I ever think of it?"

"You just aren't as original as you used to be, Padfoot," Remus stated, earning himself a half glare/half smirk in return.

**kept asking them all what they were sniggering at. Harry didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remark about his new sweater from the Slytherin table. **

Molly was looking a little sour until Tonks said with a clap on her shoulder, "Don't listen. I'm sure that they're just jealous that no one would take the time to make them sweaters. Who would want to waste something on that little snake anyway? Your sweaters are lovely and warm… and they're made with love. Don't you dare think twice about them."

Molly took her hand and gave her a grateful smile. Really, Tonks was just the sweetest thing sometimes.

**With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening.**

"Damn right!" cried Sirius gleefully. "The sooner you get a confession out of him, the sooner you can help those Muggle-borns and keep anyone else from being attacked!"

"Think we should tell him the truth?" Minerva whispered to Dumbledore. "About who really caused all this trouble and who it was who ended it?"

"Well, I'd hate to spoil his good mood," Albus whispered back. Really, the last thing that he wanted was for Sirius to start shouting at him earlier than was necessary about letting Harry get into so much danger… he went on.

**"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent.**

**"And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoys best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him.**

"How would they do that?" Arthur wondered out loud.

**"I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces. **

**She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."**

"Simple… yet very effective," Remus smiled.

"Not too bad," Moody said with an evil grin.

"What do you mean not too bad?!" Molly screamed. "Of course it's bad! What they're doing could've gotten them in serious trouble! And I'm not talking about detentions or house points!"

"Everything they've done this year," Minerva said looking at the book with a strange look in her eyes, "Would've gotten anyone else expelled. They're lucky that things ended the way they did."

"Do you mind explaining what that means?" Tonks asked annoyed. "What on earth could have happened to let them get out of trouble like this?"

Rather than answer, Albus picked this moment to go on before they got to interested in the question.

**Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other.**

**"Hermione, I don't think —"**

**"That could go seriously wrong —"**

**But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had.**

Everyone, even Snape and Moody, laughed at that. Minerva pursed her lips and said, "Laugh all you want… that just proves that they know better than to cross me!"

**"The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"**

**"Oh, all right, all right," said Harry. "But what about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?"**

**"I've already got mine!" said Hermione brightly, pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing them the single hair inside it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Dueling Club? She left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas — so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back."**

"Hmm," said Mad-Eye, "That sounds like a pretty fishy way to get a hair. It's always best to pluck them from the head yourself to make sure that you haven't gotten a wrong hair by accident."

"You would know wouldn't you, Mad-Eye?" Tonks laughed.

He shrugged. "When you've been in the busy for as long as I have, you need to know what you're getting yourself into."

**When Hermione had bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to Harry with a doom-laden expression.**

**"Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"**

"Yes, yes I have," Tonks said with a significant glance to her mentor who grinned wickedly again. "Besides, Hermione's plan sounds a lot simpler than half of the ideas that you come up with Mad-Eye."

**But to Harry's and Ron's utter amazement, stage one of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione had said. **

"Really?" Severus asked with his eyebrows raised.

**They lurked in the deserted entrance hall after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, shoveling down fourth helpings of trifle. Harry had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle coming out of the Great Hall, Harry and Ron hid quickly behind a suit of armor next to the front door.**

**"How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them. Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the cakes whole into their large mouths.**

"Ron, you took the words out of my mouth," Sirius stated, shaking his head. "How these two dunderheads made it to second year, I'll never know."

"Honestly," Tonks said incredulously. "You think that they would've had more sense than that."

"Prime examples of your house, Snape," Sirius grinned suddenly. Severus just glared back, refusing to give him the satisfaction that he knew that these two were about as smart as trolls.

**For a moment, both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on their faces. Then, without the smallest change of expression, they both keeled over backward onto the floor.**

Sirius and Tonks roared with laughter, imagining how they would've looked like when they woke up in the broom closet. Oh, why didn't he ever think of this before? This is brilliant!

**By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet across the hall. Once they were safely stowed among the buckets and mops, Harry yanked out a couple of the bristles that covered Goyle's forehead and Ron pulled out several of Crabbe's hairs. They also stole their shoes, because their own were far too small for Crabbe - and Goyle-size feet. Then, still stunned at what they had just done, they sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the stall in which Hermione was stirring the cauldron. Pulling their robes up over their faces, Harry and Ron knocked softly on the door.**

**"Hermione?"**

**They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. **

**Behind her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, glutinous potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.**

**"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly.**

**Harry showed her Goyle's hair.**

**"Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle."**

"Sounds like they thought of everything," Tonks said as she smiled widely at the stunned looks on the Weasley's, Snape's, and McGonagall's faces. Really, this was just amazing. It was like they were reading about a few pro-Aurors about to go undercover for an important assignment.

**The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.**

"That sounds exactly perfect," Moody smiled as his eye fixed itself on Snape, who was looking as though he swallowed a whole lemon.

No, Severus wasn't going to say it. Not until they drank it…

**"I'm sure I've done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like the book says it should… once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."**

"That is the big drawback to Polyjuice Potion," Moody stated, his grin fading a little. Remembering how he lost most of his hair when that scum was impersonating him last year. "You only have one hour unless you keep drinking it. That means if you wanted it to last longer, you would have to carry it with you—not too convenient for long-term transformations."

"Good thing that I don't need to use it," Tonks said happily, and as if to prove her point—caused her hair to change from bright pink to hyper-glow blonde.

**"Now what?" Ron whispered.**

**"We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs."**

**Hermione ladled large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Then, her hand trembling, she shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.**

**"Urgh — essence of Millicent Bulstrode," said Ron, eyeing it with loathing. "Bet it tastes disgusting."**

**"Add yours, then," said Hermione.**

**Harry dropped Goyle's hair into the middle glass and Ron put Crabbe's into the last one. Both glasses hissed and frothed: Goyle's turned the khaki color of a booger, Crabbe's a dark, murky brown.**

"All such attractive colors," Arthur said revolted.

"That's something I've always wondered about," Molly said in a small voice. "Why is it that when you add the hairs, the potion changes color?"

"Polyjuice Potion," Severus said quietly, "Reacts according to the nature of the person that you intend to transform into. I guess you can say that it takes on the color that represents your soul. Good-hearted people result in more attractive colors and tastes—the closer that the tint gets to gold means that the person has a pure and untainted heart. When it gets closer to the color black—the more evil and black-hearted they are."

They all nodded, some of them even wondering what color their own potions would be.

**"Hang on," said Harry as Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses. "We'd better not all drink them in here… Once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie."**

"I can not believe…" Molly said in a stunned voice. "That they're actually going to do this! They're actually going to drink that stuff?!"

**"Good thinking," said Ron, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."**

**Careful not to spill a drop of his Polyjuice Potion, Harry slipped into the middle stall.**

**"Ready?" he called.**

**"Ready," came Ron's and Hermione's voices.**

**"One — two — three —"**

**Pinching his nose, Harry drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage.**

"Disgusting…" Moody said, "That proves that Goyle has a disgusting soul…"

**Immediately, his insides started writhing as though he'd just swallowed live snakes doubled up, he wondered whether he was going to be sick then a burning sensation spread rapidly from his stomach to the very ends of his fingers and toes — next, bringing him gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over his body bubbled like hot wax —**

Albus stopped as he looked up to see their expressions. Mad-Eye was looking like he was trying hard not to laugh, Sirius and Tonks were sharing looks of disbelief and glee, Remus was looking impressed, Minerva and Molly—horrified that this was done without their knowledge, Arthur—looking like he didn't know what he thought of anymore… but funniest of all was Severus's face… he was looking awed and furious at his wounded pride. That they actually did it right.

"Perfect descriptions on the potion's effects," Mad-Eye nodded. "Looks like I won't have to read after all, huh?"

"Oh, shut up," Severus snapped.

"Now, Snape," Sirius chortled, delighted at Snape's discomfort, "No need to be a sore loser."

"You sure seem to know what that's like don't you?" he snarled back.

"I can't believe it," Minerva said in a much softer tone, "Three second years did this?!"

"Proof of what I've been saying," Moody exclaimed. "Never underestimate anyone. They just might turn around and surprise you."

**and before his eyes, his hands began to grow, the fingers thickened, the nails broadened, the knuckles were bulging like bolts — his shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on his forehead told him that hair was creeping down toward his eyebrows — his robes ripped as his chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops — his feet were agony in shoes four sizes too small.**

"Ouch," Tonks said coolly. She was so glad that she never had to take the stuff.

**As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. Harry lay facedown on the stone-cold floor, listening to Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet. With difficulty, he kicked off his shoes and stood up. So this was what it felt like, being Goyle. His large hand trembling, he pulled off his old robes, which were hanging a foot above his ankles, pulled on the spare ones, and laced up Goyle's boatlike shoes. He reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes and met only the short growth of wiry bristles, low on his forehead. Then he realized that his glasses were clouding his eyes because Goyle obviously didn't need them he took them off and called, "Are you two okay?" Goyle's low rasp of a voice issued from his mouth.**

**"Yeah," came the deep grunt of Crabbe from his right.**

**Harry unlocked his door and stepped in front of the cracked mirror. Goyle stared back at him out of dull, deep-set eyes. Harry scratched his ear. So did Goyle.**

"That has got to be the strangest feeling," Remus said thoughtfully. "Looking into the mirror and seeing a face you didn't recognize."

"It is," Sirius said sadly. He ran his own hand over his wasted and thin face—remembering the last time he looked into a mirror before he was taken to Azkaban. He looked young and handsome… with his glossy black hair that was once his pride and joy—it had been twelve long years later did he look into a mirror to see that his once handsome face was replaced by a gaunt, sunken one with waxy skin, yellow teeth, and matted hair.

**Ron's door opened. They stared at each other. Except that he looked pale and shocked, Ron was indistinguishable from Crabbe, from the pudding-bowl haircut to the long, gorilla arms.**

**"This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose. "Unbelievable."**

**"We'd better get going," said Harry, loosening the watch that was cutting into Goyle's thick wrist. "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow…"**

"What?" Sirius yelled out. "They forgot about that? You think that they would've had that planned out ahead of time! I mean they had everything else!"

"Give them a break!" Tonks said. "They were only kids! You're bound to miss at least one thing your first time. I'm sure that they'll think everything through the second."

Molly gulped… _'Second time?' _She prayed that there would never be a second time.

**Ron, who had been gazing at Harry, said, "You don't know how bizarre it is to see Goyle thinking." **

Sirius cracked up. "Yep, they picked the right people to impersonate. If they make a mistake, they don't have to worry about looking like idiots!"

**He banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go —"**

**A high-pitched voice answered him.**

**"I — I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."**

"Oh, no," Molly said, going very pale. "What happened? The potion wasn't wrong! It worked just fine for Harry and Ron!"

"Maybe she got the wrong hair?" Moody suggested interested.

"Well what could it have been?!" she demanded.

"Don't ask me…"

The teachers all looked at each other. Madam Pomfrey had told them that something every strange had happened to Hermione Granger that year… looks like they finally found out how it happened.

**"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you —"**

"I really don't think that's what the problem is Harry," Sirius said, fighting down another laugh. He knew that it wasn't funny… but he just couldn't seem to help himself.

**"No — really — I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you're wasting time —"**

**Harry looked at Ron, bewildered.**

**"That looks more like Goyle," said Ron. "That's how he looks every time a teacher asks him a question."**

Sirius couldn't help it. He lost himself in another laughing fit.

**"Hermione, are you okay?" said Harry through the door.**

**"Fine — I'm fine — go on —"**

**Harry looked at his watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed.**

**"We'll meet you back here, all right?" he said.**

**Harry and Ron opened the door of the bathroom carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set off.**

**"Don't swing your arms like that," Harry muttered to Ron.**

**"Eh?"**

**"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff…"**

**"How's this?"**

**"Yeah, that's better…"**

"How does he know that?" Tonks asked in an impressed voice. "I mean, how does he manage to notice all these little things?"

"He really is very observant," Remus said simply.

"He notices everything," Albus agreed smiling.

"It's a good thing too," Mad-Eye stated almost grudgingly. "That is certainly something that any Auror should be able to do!"

He gave out a compliment to Potter, something that he didn't give often… and wasn't surprised to see the startled looks on their faces—except for Dumbledore who merely smiled. No, he didn't think that Potter a hopeless cause… he just needed a little bit more training is all.

**They went down the marble staircase. All they needed now was a Slytherin that they could follow to the Slytherin common room, but there was nobody around.**

"Of course not," Sirius said rolling his eyes and running his hand through his messy hair. "That would be too easy. Why not make it a little more challenging and have some kind of monster guarding the common room?"

**"Any ideas?" muttered Harry.**

**"The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there," said Ron, nodding at the entrance to the dungeons. **

"N-not bad," Severus stuttered, through gritted teeth. Everyone goggled at him in amazement… Severus Snape? Give a complement to Ron Weasley? Just what are these books doing to cause these changes?

**The words had barely left his mouth when a girl with long, curly hair emerged from the entrance.**

**"Excuse me," said Ron, hurrying up to her. "We've forgotten the way to our common room."**

**"I beg your pardon?" said the girl stiffly. "Our common room? I'm a Ravenclaw."**

"Typical," Sirius said, still a little taken-aback that Snape knew how to complement someone.

**She walked away, looking suspiciously back at them.**

"I personally don't blame her," Mad-Eye muttered to himself.

**Harry and Ron hurried down the stone steps into the darkness, their footsteps echoing particularly loudly as Crabbe's and Goyle's huge feet hit the floor, feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped.**

**The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked deeper and deeper under the school, constantly checking their watches to see how much time they had left. After a quarter of an hour, just when they were getting desperate, they heard a sudden movement ahead.**

**"Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"**

**The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.**

"Percy?" Remus repeated in surprise.

"What's he doing down there?"

**"What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise.**

**Percy looked affronted.**

**"That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"**

**"Wh — oh, yeah," said Ron.**

**"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."**

"Who's he to talk?" Tonks demanded.

**"You are," Ron pointed out.**

**"I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack me."**

"I hate to be the one to say this," Sirius said slowly as if he was talking to a toddler, "But I really don't think that the monster will care if you're a Prefect or not."

"He really is full of himself," Tonks whispered for Remus alone, not wanting to upset the Weasleys who always looked so depressed whenever their third child was mentioned.

**A voice suddenly echoed behind Harry and Ron. Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them, and for the first time in his life, Harry was pleased to see him.**

"And last," Sirius hissed.

**"There you are," he drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny."**

"His definition of funny, and other's peoples definition of funny aren't the same," Arthur said, starting to get angry.

"So if he thinks it's amusing, then it must be something horrible," Minerva said sadly.

**Malfoy glanced witheringly at Percy.**

**"And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.**

**Percy looked outraged.**

**"You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude!"**

**Malfoy sneered and motioned for Harry and Ron to follow him. Harry almost said something apologetic to Percy but caught himself just in time. He and Ron hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the next passage, "That Peter Weasley —"**

"He can't even get someone's name right?" Sirius said shaking his head. "What an idiot."

"Well," Severus muttered under his breath, "There are seven of them aren't there?"

Dumbledore was the only one who heard him and gave him a stern look before going on.

**"Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.**

**"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed."**

**He gave a short, derisive laugh. Harry and Ron exchanged excited looks.**

**Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.**

**"What's the new password again?" he said to Harry.**

"That's another thing they forgot," Tonks said as she slapped her hand over her face.

**"Er —" said Harry.**

**"Oh, yeah — pure-blood!" said Malfoy, not listening, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. **

"If he knew then why did he ask?" Minerva said in surprise.

"Must've wanted to show off," Sirius stated bitterly.

**Malfoy marched through it, and Harry and Ron followed Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. **

**A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.**

"Well," Sirius said. "That sounds—pleasant." He looked around the room as he said that, the description of the Slytherin common room reminded him of Grimmauld Place. '_Home sweet home,'_ he thought sullenly.

**"Wait here," said Malfoy to Harry and Ron, motioning them to a pair of empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it my father's just sent it to me —"**

**Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, Harry and Ron sat down, doing their best to look at home.**

**Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.**

**"That'll give you a laugh," he said.**

"I don't like the sound of this," Arthur said, having a sneaking suspicion of what it was that they were reading.

**Harry saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to Harry.**

**It had been clipped out of the Daily Prophet, and it said:**

**_INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC_**

Arthur and Molly groaned. Not this…

**_Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car. _**

**_Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation. "Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."_**

"How on earth did that greasy git ever become a governor?" demanded Tonks in outrage.

"How else?" Sirius said nastily. "Through bribes… just like Draco getting on the Quidditch team."

**_Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them._**

Sirius applauded her, "You go, Molly. Didn't think you had it in you."

She blushed red. "What would you have done if you had about a dozen reporters on your front lawn?" she asked.

**"Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as Harry handed the clipping back to him. "Don't you think it's funny?"**

**"Ha, ha," said Harry bleakly.**

**"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them," said Malfoy scornfully. "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave."**

**Ron's — or rather, Crabbe's — face was contorted with fury.**

"Not that I blame him," Arthur said quickly. "But he better not do anything that could get them caught!"

**"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy.**

**"Stomachache," Ron grunted.**

**"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy, **

Dumbledore had to choke out the foul word—Mudblood.

"There is something wrong with that boy if he thinks that all these students getting attacked is funny," Minerva said furiously.

**snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. **

**"I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place.**

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life!" Minerva said glaring at Dumbledore with a fierce admiration.

Everyone else nodded, Sirius a little grudgingly, "You're the best Headmaster Hogwarts has ever had," Remus said, he would never forget that Dumbledore was the one who let him attend school, even though he was a werewolf. That was proof enough for him.

"Thank you," Dumbledore told them all, his eyes twinkling at what they said, even though he privately felt that he didn't deserve it.

**He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."**

**Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "'Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"'**

**He dropped his hands and looked at Harry and Ron.**

**"What's the matter with you two?"**

**Far too late, Harry and Ron forced themselves to laugh, but Malfoy seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on the uptake.**

"Like I said," Sirius stated with a proud grin. "They couldn't have picked better people to impersonate."

**"Saint Potter, the **(Skip word)** friend," said Malfoy slowly. "He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger**

Dumbledore didn't say that last word. But he didn't need to. They were all glaring at the book with hate in their eyes, knowing what Malfoy just said.

**And people think he's Slytherin's heir!"**

**Harry and Ron waited with bated breath: Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him — but then "I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."**

"What?" Sirius cried out in disappointment. "So it's not Malfoy?"

_'I wouldn't say that,'_ Albus thought to himself.

**Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more clueless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Harry, thinking fast, said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all…"**

**"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. **

**"And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it.**

"I say that you already looked pretty suspicious, strutting around the school and insulting Muggle-born," Remus said in a cold voice.

**But I know one thing — last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a **(Skip word)** died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time… I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.**

**But I know one thing — last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a **(Again, Dumbledore skips the word.)** died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time… I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.**

They all looked horrified that a kid would actually say that.

"That git did not just say that!" Sirius screamed in fury. He couldn't believe that he was related to this… this… spawn of immorality!

"How could he say something like that and smile?!" Molly gasped. Who would actually wish for the death of another student like this?

"I'll be having a few words with him once I return to the school," Minerva said furious, as everyone else continued to frown and think horrible thoughts, even Snape—who vowed never to use that word again after accidently calling… Lily that.

**Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Feeling that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched Malfoy, **

"Too bad," Sirius spat.

**Harry shot him a warning look and said, **

**"D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"**

**"Oh, yeah… whoever it was was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."**

**"Azkaban?" said Harry, puzzled.**

"Hell on earth," Sirius growled dangerously, he still had nightmares about being trapped in his cell.

**"Azkaban — the wizard prison, Goyle," said Malfoy, looking at him in disbelief "Honestly, if you were any slower, you'd be going backward."**

"It's a good thing that Crabbe and Goyle are such idiots," Tonks said. "Or they might've been caught on by now."

"Yes," Remus said. "But come on, do you really think that a bunch of kids would've suspected that other kids would brew and drink Polyjuice potion, sneak into their common room, and be sitting right before you disguised as your friends?"

"I would," Mad-Eye said, as he looked around at them all as if he suspected that anyone of them could be a Death Eater right now.

"You don't count," Tonks said with a wave of her hand. "You're already paranoid."

**He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"**

"Ha!" Sirius cried triumphantly.

**Harry tried to force Goyle's dull face into a look of concern.**

**"Yeah…" said Malfoy. "Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor —"**

"So that's how he found out!" Arthur cried out joyfully. He had always wondered how his son had discovered that and wrote to him about it.

**"Ho!" said Ron.**

**Malfoy looked at him. So did Harry. Ron blushed. Even his hair was turning red. **

**His nose was also slowly lengthening — their hour was up, Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was suddenly giving Harry, he must be, too.**

"They better get out of there!" Molly screeched terrified.

**They both jumped to their feet.**

"**Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted,** **and without further ado they sprinted the length of the Slytherin common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall, and dashed up the passage, hoping against hope that Malfoy hadn't noticed anything. **

**Harry could feel his feet slipping around in Goyle's huge shoes and had to hoist up his robes as he shrank; they crashed up the steps into the dark entrance hall, which was full of a muffled pounding coming from the closet where they'd locked Crabbe and Goyle. **

"'Bout time they woke up," Severus muttered.

**Leaving their shoes outside the closet door, they sprinted in their socks up the marble staircase toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**"Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time," Ron panted, closing the bathroom door behind them. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoys' drawing room."**

Sirius, Tonks, Albus, Remus, and Mad-Eye applauded while Minerva and Molly sighed in relief—Snape didn't react at all, still sour.

"They pulled it off!" Remus said in awed voice. "I never would've believed it."

"I know," Sirius said happily, grinning with pride. "They sure are giving us a run for our money. Even we were never able to do something this complicated at so young an age!"

"Luckily for you," Minerva scolded him as she shook her head in amazement. "But I have to say that these kids are truly something else."

"That's my son," Arthur mumbled under his breath with pride. "Thanks for the tip, Ron."

**Harry checked his face in the cracked mirror. He was back to normal. He put his glasses on as Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's stall.**

**"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you —"**

**"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.**

"Oh dear," Molly said, her motherly concern back in full swing. "What happened to her?"

**Harry and Ron looked at each other.**

**"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are."**

**But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door. Harry had never seen her looking so happy.**

"Oh, if she's happy," Sirius said worriedly, "Then it must be bad."

**"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful —"**

**They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.**

**"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"**

**Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.**

Silence filled the room for several minutes, no one knowing what to say. That is until Sirius began to howl with laughter.

"That's not funny!" Molly yelled at him. "I can't imagine just how scared she must've been… a cat hair…?"

"It's really too bad that the potion doesn't work for animal hair," Moody stated.

**"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"**

**"Uh-oh," said Ron.**

**"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.**

**"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…"**

"That's usually because she prefers not to know the answer," Minerva said, torn between pity and amusement.

"And besides," Albus said smiling, "Poppy fixed her right again."

**It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"**

"Well, that's the end of another chapter," Albus said as he rubbed his eyes. That was definitely one of the more light-hearted chapters, compared to the others.

"Good," Moody said as he stood up and headed to the door.

"You're leaving Mad-Eye?" Tonks called in disappointment. "But you make the best remarks!"

"I'm tired of listening to everyone yell and complain," he said. "Besides, I need to go and find Kingsley. He hasn't been seen for awhile now and I want to make sure that he's still alive."

He slumped out of the room but called back, "I'll bring him back before the book ends!"

They all waited, a little taken-aback at his suddenly leave, until the _clunk… clunk…_ of his wooden leg was out of earshot.

"Well," Remus said slowly, "That was unexpected."

"Yeah," Sirius nodded, "But I'm glad that I don't have to hear him yell at me to be quiet for awhile. And I do miss having Kingsley around."

"Why bother?" Severus asked. "He rarely talked anyway."

"Who asked you?"

"Listen you…"

Dumbledore slammed the book shut, which ended the argument. He held out the book. "It looks like there're 6 more chapters left. Does anyone here want to go next?"

"I'll do it," Sirius volunteered, "I never finished my last one anyway."

"You think you can finish this next chapter without anything happening?" Albus asked peering at him over his glasses, and Sirius knew that he was referring to his argument with Snape. Sirius glared at Snape before nodding; really he was sure he could handle it. "Alright, then," Dumbledore said as he handed the book over.

Sirius turned to the next page and read out, "**Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary**."


	15. Polyjuice Challenge

**_IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ THIS!_**

**_Hey, I've been having a little bit of trouble with the next chapter, so to keep you all entertained until I have it all finished, I put up this…_**

**_I haven't really gotten much response for my Polyjuice Potion Challenge, so I'm writing this out for you all. Below are the colors and favors that I've come up for the potion. Go through and see what you think you are._**

**_Hope you all enjoy this and the next chapter will be up in a day or two… promise._**

**_COLORS_**

**White: ****Symbolic of purity, innocence and naiveté. White shows that you have a young and clean soul. If you are an older person, it could indicate a desire for perfection and impossible ideals, maybe an attempt to recapture lost youth and freshness. **

**Red: ****The color of strength, health, and vitality. Red is often the color for someone outgoing, aggressive, vigorous and impulsive—or someone who would like to be! It goes with an ambitious nature but those who choose it can be unexpected at times, determined to get all they can out of life, quick to judge people and take sides. Red is usually people with open and uncomplicated natures, with a zest for life.**

**Pink: ****This color embodies the gentler qualities of Red, symbolizing love and affection without passion. Pink desires protection, special treatment and a sheltered life. Pink requires affection and like to feel loved and secure, perhaps wanting to appear delicate and fragile. Pink tends to be charming and gentle, if a trifle indefinite.**

**Orange: ****This color of luxury and pleasure appeals to the flamboyant and fun-loving person who likes a lively social round. Orange may be inclined to dramatize a bit, and people notice them, but they are generally good-natured and popular. They can be a little fickle and hesitant, but on the whole they try hard to be agreeable. Orange is the color of youth, strength, fearlessness, curiosity and restlessness.**

**Yellow: ****The color of happiness, wisdom and imagination. Yellow is chosen by the mentally adventurous, searching for novelty and self-fulfillment. Yellow usually goes with a sunny and shrewd personality, with a good business head and a strong sense of humor. It is the color of intellectuality and all things to do with the mind. Yellow is usually clear and precise thinkers who have a good opinion of their own mental capacities and who have superior ideals. They may at times tend to shun responsibility, preferring freedom of thought and action.**

**Green: ****The color of harmony and balance. Green symbolizes hope, renewal and peace, and is usually liked by the gentle and sincere. Greens are generally frank, community-minded people, fairly sociable but preferring peace at any price. Green can be too self-effacing, modest and patient, so they may get exploited by others. They are usually refined, civilized and reputable.**

**Blue:**** Soft, soothing, compassionate and caring. Blue is the color of deliberation and introspection, conservatism and duty. Patient, persevering, careful, sensitive and self-controlled, Blues like to be admired for their steady character and wisdom. They are faithful, but are often worriers with somewhat inflexible beliefs and can be too cautious, and suspicious of flashy behavior.**

**Blue-Green: ****Exacting, discriminating, poised and attractive, the Blue-Green tends to be sensitive, intellectual and refined, firm and stable if rather detached. Blue-Greens: have excellent taste, and are usually courteous and charming, capable but often refusing help or guidance.**

**Turquoise: ****Complex, imaginative and original. Turquoise drive themselves hard and may be in a state of turmoil under their outwardly cool exterior.**

**Lavender: ****A person who lives "on a higher plane," who never notices anything distasteful and who is always faultlessly and beautifully dressed. Lavender may be on a continual quest for culture and the refined things of life, high and noble causes but without the necessity of getting their hands dirty. Lavender is usually creative, charming, witty and civilized.**

**Purple: ****Purples are highly individual, picky, witty and sensitive, with a strong desire to be unique and different. Temperamental, expansive and artistic, a Purple may become aloof and sarcastic when misunderstood. Purple, you tend to be unconventional, tolerant and dignified, likely to achieve positions of authority.**

**Brown:**** Brown has stamina and patience, tending to be very solid and substantial, conscientious, dependable, steady and traditional. Browns are not impulsive, and may be tongue-tied and tactless but they love responsibility and are reliable and kindly. Brown, watch out for a tendency to be stubborn and rigid.**

**Gray:**** The color of caution and compromise, diligent Grays search for composure and peace and often work hard without reward. For them, life seems to run on an even keel with few ups and downs. If you're young, you may be withdrawing from life and suppressing their personalities. Grays often have good business ability and tend to work too much.**

**Gold:**** Rejoice. A heart that is pure and completely untainted… Gold is associated with the Sun which is a symbol of happiness, success, attainment, prosperity and true friends. Obstacles fall away in the light of joy. It brightens all things in its rays adding a sense of optimism and good cheer. The color gold shares many of the attributes of yellow. It is a warm color that can be both bright and cheerful as well as somber and usual. But you are a dynamic, inspiring and influential leader whose light shines for all to see. Show the world who you are and what you have done. Express yourself so that everyone you encounter can feel your warmth.**

**_FLAVORS_**

**Most kinds of fruit**** – You are the outdoorsy type. Rough and gruff on the outside, but you're still sweet and smooth underneath it all. You prefer to spend your days outside, taking on the world and taking no prisoners. But be careful, that curiosity tends to get you in trouble.**

**Peanut**** - You are the health nut. A healthy life is a happy life. You are very generous and charitable… but come on… it's time to live a little! Put away the nuts and your worries for once and live a little! Embrace the chocolate.**

**Lemons****- You are the pessimist. You are a bit on the down side. Your heavy problems in your life are really starting to take their toll. But at the same time you have what it takes to turn those sour lemons into Lemonade. You just have to keep going!**

**Bubble Gum**** - You are the hipster. You are cheerful and positive—just like Tonks! Look how trendy you are. Why are you even reading this? Don't you have some big party to get to?**

**Coffee****- You are the elitist. You want to pretend you're in an upscale coffee house even when you're at a roadside dairy queen. You are friendly and sociable and that's what we love about you… but you need to stop expecting the best… try a slice of humble pie.**

**Pumpkin pie**** - You are the glutton. Thick and creamy pumpkin pie the epitome of yummy! You love living the good life and don't mind being spoiled now and again… you know how to have a good time.**

**Vanilla**** - You are the rock. Straight-laced and traditional, you don't need to put on a show for everyone to prove just how awesome you are! Some things are classics for a reason and vanilla is as American as apple pie… ala mode.**

**Chocolate ****- You are the leader. You're a go-getter. You know what you want and you aren't afraid to go for it. Just like any true Chocolate lover.**

**Honey**** - You are the sweetheart. Life can never be sweet enough for you. So you need to double up. Grab your best friends and take on the world together!**

**Mint or Peppermint**** - You are the romantic. You crave the rush of romance the same way you crave that minty fresh feeling. Pulse with all that mint you're always prepared for a little kiss.**

**Caramel**** - You are the wildcard. Caring, compassionate, and unpredictable are what you are. You never know what you're going to do next. You like to let it all hang out and keep people on their toes. This may ruffle feathers, but it also keeps life interesting. **

**Coconut**** - You are the innovator. Ambitious, and confident, you're always thinking of ways to improve things and make your life better. Everyone else sticks with the tried and true but you dare to different.**

**Anything Spicy**** - You are the party animal. You party hard and often. Life is for living and you know there is nothing better than turning up the music and live to the fullest. Absolutely nothing.**

**Chicken****- You are the artsy type. Your dvd cabinet is full of films and your walls are littered with pieces of art that only make sense to you and the person that painted it. You add spice to life but you're also the only person still sporting a beret.**

**Bacon****- You are the optimist. They say life isn't fair, but you disagree. You see life as an endless road of possibilities and you're to start walking down it with a smile.**

**Cinnamon**** - You are the mysterious type. Introverted by nature, you hide many layers down deep. Some are sweet. Some are dark, but they all add up to a magnificent treat.**

**Vegetables****- You are the straight shooter. You say whatever's on your mind without fear of judgment. Sometimes that causes problems with those closest to you. But fear not, you know what you're doing is right for you.**

**Hot Sauce**** - You are the show off. Extroverted and flashy, you're the life of the party and you're not afraid to let everyone see it.**

**Syrup ****- You are the people pleaser. You find the good in everything. And you have to be one of the sweetest things out there. But you have trouble taking a stand and committing—it's ok to say what you want too you know?**

**Milk****- You are the commitment probe. You know what you want, but you're too scared to go all the way. Some things are worth the risk, just keep telling yourself that.**

**Fish****- You are the paranoid. You are very suspicious of everything and anything. You don't find trust an easy thing for you. You always suspect that something's fishy… but once you find someone that you trust… you devote yourself to that person all the way.**

**Vomit****-Do I really need to say it?**


	16. The Very Secret Diary

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary**

Sirius turned to the next page and read out, "**Chapter 13: The Very Secret Diary**."

Molly and Arthur both tensed up at those words. So this is when they found that damn diary… the diary that almost cost Ginny her life. Remus noticed their uptight postures and wondered why they looked so upset over an old diary.

Albus was particularly interested in this chapter, so leaned forward, wanting to listen to every detail of this chapter. Wanting to know if his theory was correct…"

Minerva and Severus shared an uneasy look, both of them dreading how everyone was going to react later on in the story. The book was starting to near its end, though there was still a lot left to cover, they were sure. They were both wondering when they will to the part when it talks about who was taken into the Chamber and who it was who went to save her.

"I wonder who kept the diary," asked Tonks with interest. Then she thought of something. "I think that we're finally about to get some answers here."

Remus looked at her in surprise and asked, "What makes you say that?"

She shrugged, "I just thought… 13 is a powerful magical number isn't it? And for some reason I'm remembering in the first book… Chapter 13: Nicolas Flamel? We finally got some real information from that chapter about the Stone right?. This is chapter 13 of the Chamber of Secrets… I bet you that something real important happens here."

Remus blinked at her, not knowing what to think. He shared a look with Sirius, who looked as surprised as he did.

"I can't help it," she said defensively. "Auror training remember?"

Sirius just decided to humor her and nodded before turning back to the book.

**Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked. So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.**

"Poor Hermione," Tonks stated, fighting a smile. "She may look like a cat, but I doubt she's purring."

Sirius laughed, "Yeah, it must be difficult to turn pages with claws."

Minerva gave them a dark look, "It's not funny! She's lucky that Madam Pomfrey was able to put her right again in the end! She could've suffered much worse!"

"I don't see how it could get any worse by getting turned into a cat," Arthur stated.

"Well, unless you were turned into a rat or a snake," Sirius said a little darkly, remembering the rat Wormtail and the walking snake Voldemort. Yes, there were much worse things you could get turned into than a cat.

**Harry and Ron went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.**

"That should cheer her up a little," Remus said kindly.

"How can she work with a claws and whiskers?" Sirius asked himself incredulously. "Now that is dedication."

"Some people actually care about working hard at school, Sirius," Minerva said, rather frosty.

**"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.**

**"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown. **

"I'm sure she is," Tonks said brightly.

**"I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.**

**"Nothing," said Harry gloomily.**

**"I was so sure it was Malfoy," said Ron, for about the hundredth time.**

_'It was…'_ Albus thought privately. _'But Lucius Malfoy… not Draco.' _How can someone be so cruel to actually target a child was something that he couldn't understand however. Lucius Malfoy was looking for a way to discredit Arthur Weasley and he found a way. But it shouldn't matter just how much you hated someone… but to actually take your hatred on your enemy's child.

**"What's that?" asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.**

**"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:**

**"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award."**

They all looked disgusted, except for Albus who looked amused.

"You mean to tell me that he even signs his get well cards with his lies?" Arthur said revolted. "Could his head get any bigger?"

Sirius pretended to gag, "She slept with that card under her pillow?"

"I hope she opens her eyes and snaps out of it soon," Tonks said, shaking her head in disappointment. "For someone so smart… she sure can be blind."

**Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted.**

**"You sleep with this under your pillow?"**

**But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.**

**"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to Harry as they left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower.**

"I couldn't agree with you more, Ron," Arthur said as everyone else nodded.

**But Ron decided to keep reading instead of answering.**

**Snape had given them so much homework, Harry thought he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it. **

Snape smirked at his own handiwork.

At least until he saw that Albus was chuckling. "I hope this shows you that Harry puts some work into his homework and finishes it," he said with a warm smile.

Sirius smirked when he saw Snape's own smirk wiped off his face. Serves him right for being such a git.

**Ron was just saying he wished he had asked Hermione how many rat tails you were supposed to add to a Hair Raising Potion** **when an angry outburst from the floor above reached their ears.**

"What happened?" Tonks asked looking worried. "Not another attack…?"

Molly bit her lower lip, looking scared, Arthur took her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. They all knew that things worked out for the best in the end, but it didn't make listening to it any easier.

**"That's Filch," Harry muttered as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.**

**"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" said Ron tensely.**

**They stood still, their heads inclined toward Flich's voice, which sounded quite hysterical.**

**"Even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore —"**

"What?" Molly cried out in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that while the students are being attacked by an ancient monster, he's worrying about clean floors?"

"He's mental," Sirius said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't try to reason with him. I learned that the hard way the first time I never saw him on my first day."

"Oh, is that why you insisted on giving him such a hard time?" Minerva asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Someone had to do it," Sirius said stubbornly. "Might as well have been me."

**His footsteps receded along the out-of-sight corridor and they heard a distant door slam.**

**They poked their heads around the corner. Filch had clearly been manning his usual lookout post: They were once again on the spot where Mrs. Norris had been attacked.**

"Why do they keep going back there?" Minerva asked incredulously. Really, why did some of her favorite students feel like they have to do something about all this when it doesn't concern them? "They're just asking for trouble!"

**They saw at a glance what Filch had been shouting about. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Now that Filch had stopped shouting, they could hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the bathroom walls.**

"Well, it's good to see that some things never change," Sirius said sarcastically.

**"Now what's up with her?" said Ron.**

**"Let's go and see," said Harry, and holding their robes over their ankles they stepped through the great wash of water to the door bearing it's OUT OF ORDER sign, ignored it as always, and entered.**

**Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floor soaking wet.**

"How does she do that?" Severus asked. "How does a ghost actually move water?"

"That's a good question," Albus explained. "It's actually pretty simple but complicated at the same time. It really all depends on how much a person wants to come back. When most people die, they move on. But if they don't want to leave this world just yet, then an imprint of that person returns. A part of that person remains in this world, but they are no longer a part of it. This mostly happens when the person in question is afraid of their own death and just cannot stand the thought of leaving. But from what I heard, Myrtle didn't stay back because she was afraid to die, but rather she wanted to haunt someone who tormented her while she was alive. So when she came back as a ghost, she had more powers to help her do this."

He let that sink in, before anyone could say anything to that.

"I feel bad for anyone who had Myrtle haunt them," Sirius said, pitying the poor soul who had to deal with Myrtle all the time.

**"What's up, Myrtle?" said Harry.**

**"Who's that?" glugged Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"**

"Throw something at her?" Tonks repeated. "I can see how that would upset someone whose still has a pulse… but she's a ghost! What does it matter if someone throws something at her? It would just go right through her."

"Like everything else in life," Remus stated, "It's the thought that counts."

"That doesn't make any sense if you ask me," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "It doesn't matter if someone throws something at her or not!"

"Maybe someone didn't mean to throw something at her," Arthur said miserably, thinking about just how scared his daughter would've been at this point. How it would feel for an eleven year old girl, starting her first year at Hogwarts only to have your fellow students attacked and all this terrifying fear eating people alive… to have a diary that you thought would be safe to confine in about all your worries and fears…

And then to find out that the very thing that would make you feel safe… was the very thing that was causing all your worries and fears in the first place! Something that was slowly killing you while the whole time, comforting you and telling you that everything was going to be okay.

And when Ginny finally did make the realization… he couldn't imagine the fear that was running through his daughter's mind… the power that the diary that nearly took away his little girl…

Molly pressed her face into his shoulder, and sniffled. He knew that she was thinking along the same lines and was fighting her tears. He held her tightly, and whispered soothing words into her ears. Most of the others were focused on the book and didn't pay them any attention except for Dumbledore who gave the pair of them a very kind smile. Reminding them that everything turned out alright in the end.

Arthur only nodded as he heard Sirius's voice again, and forced his ears to listen.

**Harry waded across to her stall and said, "Why would I throw something at you?"**

**"Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me…"**

**"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said Harry, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"**

"You think he would learn by now," Tonks said shaking her head. "You don't talk like that to Moaning Myrtle!"

Sirius laughed. Kids these days… they never did learn.

**He had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked, "Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I don't think!"**

Sirius roared with laughter. "Hey, Moony! She remembers that game!"

"Of course she would," Remus said, trying to be disapproving, but it was meaningless with that wide smile that spread across his face. "You and James were the ones that started it and only stopped when McGonagall threatened to give you two detention for a month."

"It was hard to teach when you had a sobbing ghost echoing through the halls," she said sternly with a dark look at Sirius. "Especially at night! I don't think anyone in the castle slept for a least a week with her crying keeping us up!"

"Was it our faults that she was overly-sensitive?" he demanded before reading again so she wouldn't get a chance to retort.

**"Who threw it at you, anyway?" asked Harry.**

**"I don't know… I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out…"**

"That doesn't mean that someone was intending to throw something at her," Remus stated.

"Yeah, I'm sure the person that was trying to get rid of that book didn't even notice that she was there. Not that I blame them," Sirius said, before laughing. "If I could, I would've flushed all my books down a toilet."

"Oh, Sirius, grow up!" Minerva said rolling her eyes.

**Harry and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Harry stepped forward to pick it up, **

Arthur gave a sharp intact of breath.

**but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back.**

He sighed in relief.

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"Are you crazy?" said Ron. "It could be dangerous."**

**"Dangerous?" said Harry, laughing. "Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"**

"I've always thought that books were dangerous," Sirius stated with a wise nod. "Whether their magical or not."

"Believe it or not, Padfoot," Remus said with a sigh, "Some people actually like reading."

"Fine, I won't believe it."

**"You'd be surprised," said Ron, who was looking apprehensively at the book. "Some of the books the Ministry's confiscated Dad's told me — there was one that burned your eyes out.**

"More with the eye references?" Tonks said, repeating what Moody had said before. "Ok, I hate to agree with Mad-Eye, but he did have a point. Eyes keep popping up to many times in this book to just be a coincidence."

**And everyone who read Sonnets of a Sorcerer spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives. And some old witch in Bath had a book that you could never stop reading! You just had to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do everything one-handed. And —"**

"Wow, Arthur, you sure know how to make a good point," Minerva said approvingly.

Arthur smiled, but it was a bit forced. "I'm glad to see that Ron's been listening to me all these years after all."

"Be careful Harry!" Sirius whispered, "And I thought that reading was a safe activity for even you."

"I'm afraid that nothing seems safe for Harry anymore," Remus said the smile on his face fading as Sirius looked as though someone had thrown a heavy weight in his face. Those words… hurt Sirius more than anyone could ever imagine. Why did it have to be true? And why his own godson on top of everything?

**"All right, I've got the point," said Harry.**

**The little book lay on the floor, nondescript and soggy.**

**"Well, we won't find out unless we look at it," he said, and he ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor.**

"Don't pick it up!" Molly groaned, "Just leave it there and leave!"

**Harry saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded year on the cover told him it was fifty years old. He opened it eagerly. On the first page he could just make out the name "T. M. Riddle" in smudged ink.**

Albus frowned, knowing that name all too well. So this was how it began… by finding that book, everything else happened.

"Oh, Merlin," said Minerva as she had gone very pale, remembering what happened that night. They all thought for sure that Ginny Weasley was dead. No one knew where the Chamber was, so how could anyone go and safe her? And then all of a sudden the door opens and Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart all came into her office and told them what happened. She remembered getting quite a few gray hairs thanks to that.

But the hardest thing to hear was Dumbledore telling her about that name…

Remus frowned, "I know I've heard that name from somewhere…"

"It's Voldemort. It's his true name," Albus explained.

Remus, Severus, Sirius, and Tonks all looked at him in shock. Severus especially was looking astonished. The Dark Lord told him and all his Death Eaters that he shunned his original name and took one up that suited him much better. He wasn't aware that the Dark Lord once had a name that was as common as this one.

Sirius, Tonks, and Remus had gotten so used to the idea of Voldemort being a terrible, murdering dictator that they never really thought about him once having a normal sounding name.

"I have to say," Tonks spoke after a few stunned seconds. "That I like the name Tom better than _'Voldemort.'_"

"Yeah," Sirius agreed with a smirk. "But I don't think that the name _'Tom Riddle'_ will strike the fear into the hearts of my enemies do you?" He thought that it was strange that Voldemort was once a student… and then he remembered something that was from a half-buried memory… "He has a trophy in the Trophy Room at Hogwarts. He won some kind of award for service to the school about fifty years ago."

"Wait, how on earth do you know that?" Tonks demanded in amazement.

Sirius gave her a disappointed look. "Do you have any idea just how many detentions I had to spend, polishing trophies? If you polished as much as I had, then you remember every name in that damn room!"

"I don't care about that!" Molly said, angry tears in her eyes. "I don't care what his name is or what it used to be! Harry needs to get rid of that damn diary now before something happens to him or anyone else! Anything that—that—monster touched is evil! Harry will be in grave danger if he hangs onto something like that!"

Sirius felt what little color in his face drain out. He knew that she was right. If Harry had something that once belonged to Voldemort, then that could only meat that it was an unsafe item that will put his godson in danger. He went back to the book and read out the next line, hoping that Harry would have the sense to trash it.

**"Hang on," said Ron, who had approached cautiously and was looking over Harry's shoulder. "I know that name… T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."**

Sirius couldn't help but smile at that, reminding him of himself. But it quickly faded, hoping that they decide to get rid of the book.

**"How on earth d'you know that?" said Harry in amazement.**

**"Because Filch made me polish his shield about fifty times in detention," said Ron resentfully. "That was the one I burped slugs all over. If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour, you'd remember it, too."**

**Harry peeled the wet pages apart. They were completely blank. There wasn't the faintest trace of writing on any of them, not even Auntie Mabel's birthday, or dentist, half-past three.**

"Why would he have an empty diary?" Remus asked worriedly. He could see why no one would think that it was anything to worry about. If it looked like an empty book… how could anyone suspect it to be dangerous? Especially if it was a group of kids that had no idea what Voldemort's real name is?

"I know that book is bad news," Sirius said as he gripped the pages so hard that they began to tear. "I mean, if someone tried to get rid of it then it must be something dangerous. If it were me, I'd trash it until there wasn't anything left but a pile of ashes… and then I would try to flush it!"

**"He never wrote in it," said Harry, disappointed.**

"Don't be so sure," Sirius begged to book Harry, as if he hope that by talking would be able to change his mind. "Just get rid of it!"

**"I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?" said Ron curious.**

**Harry turned to the back cover of the book and saw the printed name of a variety store on Vauxhall Road, London.**

**"He must've been Muggle-born," said Harry thoughtfully. "To have bought a diary from Vauxhall Road…"**

Albus let out a dark laugh. Really, Tom Riddle, the person who believed in blood purity, was a Half-blood himself.

"Why don't they know the name?" Sirius asked, turning accusing eyes to Dumbledore. "I mean, I think that Harry of all people should know that!"

"I'm afraid," Albus told him, "That very few people remember that Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. And those that do know don't want to say anything, consumed with fear about what might happen to them."

"And Harry knows next to nothing about the wizarding world," Minerva added unhappily.

"Of course," Sirius spat viciously. "Of all the people that had to pick up that book, it had to be the one person that Voldemort wants to kill the most… what are the odds?"

"Harry's usual luck," Tonks said forlornly.

**"Well, it's not much use to you," said Ron. He dropped his voice. "Fifty points if you can get it through Myrtle's nose."**

"Ronald Weasley," groaned Molly. "Really I thought that we would've taught him some tact after all these years."

"But if it convinces Harry to let go of the book then who cares?" Sirius said, his knuckles white.

"But if they do get rid of it, then it will just find their way into someone else's hands," Severus stated coolly.

"I don't mean to sound insensitive," Sirius said. "But at the moment I just want it out of Harry's hands alright?! As long as Harry's not in any danger from it then I worry about someone one else alright?!"

He looked so dangerous that no one dared to tell him off, but Molly did give him a glare—remembering that it was Ginny who had to suffer with it for so long. But then again, he didn't know that it was in Ginny's possession…

**Harry, however, pocketed it.**

They all groaned.

"We have to teach that kid some lessons about the real world," Sirius said shaking his head. Really, the Harry he knew had more sense than that. But then he remembered that this was a year before he met Harry—which meant that Harry must've learned about this the hard way. Dreading what he was about to find out, he went on.

**Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and furfree, at the beginning of February. On her first evening back in Gryffindor Tower, Harry showed her T. M. Riddle's diary and told her the story of how they had found it.**

**"Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.**

**"If it has, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. "Maybe it's shy. **

"Yes," Sirius snorted. "That's the reason."

**I don't know why you don't chuck it, Harry."**

**"I wish I knew why someone did try to chuck it," said Harry. "I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts either."**

**"Could've been anything," said Ron. "Maybe he got thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; **

Albus and the other teachers all look at each other at those words, all of them knowing that's exactly what he did get to award for.

**that would've done everyone a favor…"**

"He really shouldn't talk like that about someone else's death even if you don't like the person," Tonks stated surprisingly harsh.

"I can't believe that he would say something like that," Molly groaned. "Where did we go wrong with that boy?"

**But Harry could tell from the arrested look on Hermione's face that she was thinking what he was thinking.**

**"What?" said Ron, looking from one to the other.**

**"Well, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, wasn't it?" he said. "That's what Malfoy said."**

**"Yeah…" said Ron slowly.**

**"And this diary is fifty years old," said Hermione, tapping it excitedly.**

"Why do they have to be so observant?" Molly groaned. "Why are they putting the pieces together? Why can't they just leave it alone would it's too dangerous. Someone could've die. One of them could've died! This isn't for three second years to investigate."

"I think that they long since chosen a life of sticking their noses into other people's business," Severus said smoothly.

"It is quite impressive though," Dumbledore praised them. "Not just anyone would come this far with this much information."

**"So?"**

"Oh, Ron… use your brain! I know that you don't get perfect grades, but come on!" Tonks cried out exasperated.

**"Oh, Ron, wake up," snapped Hermione. "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary would probably tell us everything — where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it — the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?"**

"Or rather," Arthur said, his nails digging into his hands. "Voldemort was the heir of Slytherin."

Even though no one had said it before out loud, they all knew who the real snake in the grass was all along.

Minerva said, "Why can't they put this much effort into their classes?"

**"That's a brilliant theory, Hermione," said Ron, "with just one tiny little flaw. There's nothing written in his diary."**

**But Hermione was pulling her wand out of her bag.**

**"It might be invisible ink!" she whispered.**

**She tapped the diary three times and said, "Aparecium!"**

**Nothing happened. **

"Yes, so please stop," Sirius and Molly both begged. Most of the others cracked smiles as the two of them both stared at each other in surprise.

"We have to stop doing that," Sirius said, horrified that he was acting like Molly.

**Undaunted, Hermione shoved her hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser.**

**"It's a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley," she said.**

"I  
would much prefer if you let it be," Molly whimpered. "They're in danger if they keep trying to mess with it!"

**She rubbed hard on January first. Nothing happened.**

**"I'm telling you, there's nothing to find in there," said Ron. "Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and couldn't be bothered filling it in."**

"I wish," Arthur whispered angrily

**Harry couldn't explain, even to himself, why he didn't just throw Riddle's diary away. The fact was that even though he knew the diary was blank, he kept absentmindedly picking it up and turning the pages, as though it were a story he wanted to finish. And while Harry was sure he had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean something to him, almost as though Riddle was a friend he'd had when he was very small, and had half-forgotten. But this was absurd. He'd never had friends before Hogwarts, Dudley had made sure of that.**

"A friend?" said Remus. "It's a familiar name? I would say that it is a familiar name to Harry, but most certainly NOT a friend."

Sirius was really starting to hate this year. Furious at what Harry was forced to go through his second year at school and that Harry wasn't able to have the happy childhood that he was supposed to have. He knew that Lily and James would be rolling in their graves if they knew about this. "That git, Dursely," he growled menacingly.

Albus, in the mean time was lost in his thoughts. He never wanted any of his students to be in danger from Voldemort. But Harry was one of the last people he ever wanted to find that diary. Another piece of proof that what he worst feared to be true.

The fact that there was more to that scar than met the eye. But why did he have to be right about this? He prayed that he was mistaken…

**Nevertheless, Harry was determined to find out more about Riddle, so next day at break, he headed for the trophy room to examine Riddle's special award, accompanied by an interested Hermione and a thoroughly unconvinced Ron, who told them he'd seen enough of the trophy room to last him a lifetime.**

**Riddle's burnished gold shield was tucked away in a corner cabinet. It didn't carry details of why it had been given to him ("Good thing, too, or it'd be even bigger and I'd still be polishing it," said Ron). **

"Why did he even get an award anyway?" Sirius asked in annoyance. He was so annoyed at this information, he didn't notice the tense expression on the teacher's faces.

"I'm sure that it'll state it," Albus said at once, ending the topic.

**However, they did find Riddle's name on an old Medal for Magical Merit, and on a list of old Head Boys.**

**"He sounds like Percy," said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy… probably top of every class —"**

"He better not compare his brother to that monster ever again!" Molly said, sounding real close to tears this time. She knew that Percy made some mistakes, but she also knew that her son would never do something anywhere near some of the horrors that Voldemort was capable of.

**"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione in a slightly hurt voice.**

**The sun had now begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more hopeful. **

"Really?" Tonks said sounding more upbeat. "That's good to hear! I bet everyone was glad when this nightmare of a year was over."

"We sure were," Minerva confirmed. "I can't tell you how good it felt for summer to come and this whole problem had been solved."

**There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.**

**"The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for repotting again," Harry heard her telling Filch kindly one afternoon. "And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs. Norris back in no time."**

"Oh, did they have to wake her up?" Sirius demanded. "Couldn't they just leave her like that? It would've done everyone a favor."

"But then Argus would be in a worse mood all the time," Minerva told him. "And I think that he suffered enough don't you?"

"I suppose…" Sirius admitted.

**Perhaps the Heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, thought Harry. **

"Or the diary," Sirius said venomously. He looked up at them all as if daring them to contradict him. "It's quite a coincidence, don't you think? The attacks stop as soon as Harry finds that diary."

"No one is disagreeing with you, Sirius," Remus said thoughtfully."But then that would mean that the one who threw it away knows how to work it. So who was it?"

"They would've thrown it away because they didn't realize what was happening until the attacks started!" Molly snarled at him, taken him aback.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, not understanding why she looked so upset. "I'm just saying…"

She didn't let him answer, she just waved her hand at Sirius, silently telling him to hurry up and go on.

**It must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years…**

**Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that Harry was the guilty one, that he had "given himself away" at the Dueling Club. **

"And that there is proof that he's not the heir!" Tonks said crossly. "If he was doing these attacks then he wouldn't have been reckless enough to say something in parseltongue in front of the whole school."

"Like I said," Albus said sadly, "People, especially children, can't think like that when there's so much fear."

**Peeves wasn't helping matters; he kept popping up in the crowded corridors singing "Oh, Potter, you rotter…" now with a dance routine to match.**

**Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop. **

"Of course he did," they all said in aggravation. They were all hoping that someone would knock Lockhart back in his place before the book was over.

**Harry overheard him telling Professor McGonagall so while the Gryffindors were lining up for Transfiguration. "I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him.**

"Could he try a slice of humble pie or something?" Tonks asked in vain.

"Or try to be honest?" Minerva suggested folding her arms, "No one really believes that he did anything remarkable unless you call being one of the most irritating people alive remarkable."

"Blimey," Tonks said staring at them with sympathy. "I don't see how you could all stand him for that year."

"Years of practice helped," Albus stated simply. Which was true, years of dealing with students can make you very patient.

**Rather sensible to stop now, before I came down hard on him.**

**"You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing…"**

"Oh, great, what on earth is that big-headed git going to do now?" Sirius demanded. "First the Dueling Club and now… this isn't going to end well. I know it."

"And you said that you were never good at Divination," Remus said with a smirk.

**He tapped his nose again and strode off.**

**Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February fourteenth. **

"Valentine's Day?" Molly asked. She didn't know about this. What happened here that it had to be written?

**Harry hadn't had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch practice the night before, and he hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. He thought, for a moment, that he'd walked through the wrong doors.**

**The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Harry went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking sickened, and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.**

"Did it really look like that?" Remus just had to ask even though Minerva's and Severus's faces were answer enough. Albus on the other hand looked like he was close to laughing.

**"What's going on?" Harry asked them, sitting down and wiping confetti off his bacon.**

**Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence.**

"Ok, now we all have proof that he's a wimp," Sirius stated, shaking his head. "No man would wear pink robes!"

**The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where he sat, Harry could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.**

"Believe me," Severus said, his face looking very sour. "I would've preferred the Skele-Gro."

"For once I actually sympathize with you," Sirius muttered. If truth be told, he rather deal with Snape then with Lockhart, and that was saying a lot.

**"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all — and it doesn't end here!"**

"Why do I get the feeling that Hermione was one of the forty-six?" Tonks asked, earning several groans from the others.

**Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.**

**"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. **

"I highly doubt a bunch of dwarves are going to be _friendly_ dressed up like that," Remus stated.

"I would've loved to have seen just how much Lockhart paid them to do this," Sirius looking slightly sickened.

**"They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion!**

"I can't imagine you actually showing any poor fool how to make a love potion," Sirius said with his eyebrows raised. "At least not without killing that person."

"Actually," Severus said, "I promised myself to poison anyone foolish enough to ask me."

"Really?" Tonks asked eagerly. "Did Lockhart ask?"

"Unfortunately," Severus said as though he was denied a great treat, "He didn't. He spent all his time reading his own valentines."

"Typically," Sirius said disappointed.

**And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"**

"Oh, poor Flitwick," Tonks sighed, she would've hated that if it happened to her.

"Yes," Minerva sighed with pity. "In fact, after that announcement, he couldn't even do his first class because he was so embarrassed."

**Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. **

"Poor Filius," Albus said.

"And it must've been bad if even Flitwick was miserable," Arthur said, thinking it over. "He's usually up for anything if it's cheerful."

**Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.**

Severus blinked in surprise as they all looked at him with amused smiles.

"Looks like Harry could see what you were planning," Sirius said rather smugly.

Severus just gave him a dirty look, really was his deepest desire of poisoning Lockhart that obvious?

**"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.**

**All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers, **

"I would have killed to have seen your face when one came into your class," Sirius laughed.

"When they did receive a valentine," he said jerkily, "I made them burn it in their cauldron."

"That's cold," Tonks said with a frown.

**and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Harry.**

**"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Harry.**

"Oh, what happens here?" Sirius said, looking forward to see this.

**Hot all over at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley, Harry tried to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached him before he'd gone two paces.**

**"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in a threatening sort of way.**

"Oh, the poor kid," Sirius laughed. He normally wouldn't laugh at Harry, but this was going to be impossible to resist.

**"Not here," Harry hissed, trying to escape.**

**"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of Harry's bag and pulling him back.**

**"Let me go!" Harry snarled, tugging.**

"Ah, he must have promised whoever sent it to give it to Harry with as much people around him as possible," Tonks said as a wide smile spread across her face. "That's the only why I can think of a Dwarf doing a musical valentine."

"More Potter luck," Arthur laughed.

**With a loud ripping noise, his bag split in two. His books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the floor and his ink bottle smashed over everything.**

**Harry scrambled around, trying to pick it all up before the dwarf started singing, causing something of a holdup in the corridor.**

**"What's going on here?" came the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. **

"Of course he would show up right at the worse time imaginable," Sirius said annoyed.

**Harry started stuffing everything feverishly into his ripped bag, desperate to get away before Malfoy could hear his musical valentine.**

"Just stay and bare it, Harry," Sirius whined. "Come on… I wanna hear your valentine."

And he wasn't the only one; everyone leaned in a little closer, eager for this. Even Severus who looked unconcerned, leaned in slightly.

**"What's all this commotion?" said another familiar voice as Percy Weasley arrived.**

**Losing his head, Harry tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized him around the knees and brought him crashing to the floor.**

**"Right," he said, sitting on Harry's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine:**

Sirius then read the valentine to himself before he burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he had to put the book down and hold onto his middle because he thought that a few ribs cracked.

"What is it?" Tonks demanded as she picked up the book, read it herself and started to laugh as hard as her cousin. It must've been a few minutes before, Minerva got tired of watching them laugh and yelled, "What is so funny?!"

Sirius just waved his hand at her before he slowly returned to normal. He took several deep breaths before picking the book back up and he sang out in a deep voice.

**_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,_**

**_His hair is as dark as a blackboard._**

**_I wish he was mine, he's really divine,_**

**_The hero who conquered the Dark Lord."_**

He couldn't help it, Sirius doubled up laughing all over again. In fact he cracked up so hard that he was almost crying with mirth. Tonks was also laughing at Sirius's singing voice and was banging her hand on the table. Arthur was grinning as he chortled, Remus and Minerva looked amused, and Molly was trying to stifle a giggle. As usual, Severus remained stony-faced, though a muscle was going in his cheek.

"It's not funny, Sirius," Molly said but her own lips were twitching as she fought her own laughter. Even Albus lost it and started laughing, though not nearly as hard as Tonks and Sirius were.

"That's so adorable," Molly said smiling. Really, it was just too sweet. "I wonder who sent it…"

It took several long minutes, until Sirius was finally able to get a hold of himself and read again, only he still had the big Cheshire cat smile on his face. Oh, he couldn't wait to tease Harry about this the next time he saw him.

**Harry would have given all the gold in Gringotts to evaporate on the spot. Trying valiantly to laugh along with everyone else, he got up, his feet numb from the weight of the dwarf, as Percy Weasley did his best to disperse the crowd, some of whom were crying with mirth.**

"Poor, Harry," Remus said with a chuckle. "That had to be humiliating…"

**"Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, off to class, now," he said, shooing some of the younger students away. "And you, Malfoy —"**

**Harry, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something. Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and Goyle, and Harry realized that he'd got Riddle's diary.**

"Good," Arthur snapped, his good mood fading almost instantly. After all, it was a Malfoy who planted that diary on Ginny and the first place. "Let him have the dangerous item."

"Yeah," Remus stated hesitantly. "But then he might realize what it is and turn it in. He could tell them that it was in Harry's belongings, and then Harry would be in real trouble."

"Like anyone would believe that ferret," Sirius said on Arthur's side.

**"Give that back," said Harry quietly.**

**"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought he had Harry's own diary. A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary to Harry, looking terrified.**

"Oh," Sirius said as another wide grin spread. "I think we know who sent that valentine."

Tonks began to laugh, but the Weasleys were looking even paler than ever before.

"What a mess," Remus said slowly, and he didn't mean the spilled ink either. Ginny's reaction… he would think that it would be of dire embarrassment, but she reacted with terror? Not to mention that stare… something's up.

**"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.**

**"When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at Harry.**

**Percy said, "As a school prefect —" but Harry had lost his temper. He pulled out his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air. Ron, grinning broadly, caught it.**

Sirius whooped and clapped, "That's my boy!"

**"Harry!" said Percy loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"**

"Oh, he deserved it!" Sirius said annoyed. "He takes his prefect job much too seriously. Something like that isn't a big deal."

"No, Sirius," Minerva reprimanded, suddenly stern. "I think that you just took it a little too lightly in your own school days."

Sirius grinned at her and held up a hand in defense. "Don't judge me… just love me for who I am."

**But Harry didn't care, he was one-up on Malfoy, and that was worth five points from Gryffindor any day. Malfoy was looking furious, and as Ginny passed him to enter her classroom, he yelled spitefully after her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"**

Tonks frowned. "That jerk. I bet that he didn't even get a valentine that day and that's why he's nastier than usual."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Sirius nodded.

**Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class. Snarling, Ron pulled out his wand, too, but Harry pulled him away. Ron didn't need to spend the whole of Charms belching slugs.**

"I'm glad he did," Molly said. She was worried that her Ron would try something like that again and she didn't want to see his wand backfire on him again.

**It wasn't until they had reached Professor Flitwick's class that Harry noticed something rather odd about Riddle's diary. All his other books were drenched in scarlet ink. The diary, however, was as clean as it had been before the ink bottle had smashed all over it. **

"Why does Harry have to be so observant?" Tonks asked in amazement. Albus was frowning, deep in thought. This meant that Harry was going to be writing in the diary very soon. Which means that they were going to learn what happened fifty years ago when an innocent victim of Tom Riddle's was framed for a crime that he didn't do.

**He tried to point this out to Ron, but Ron was having trouble with his wand again; large purple bubbles were blossoming out of the end, and he wasn't much interested in anything else.**

**Harry went to bed before anyone else in his dormitory that night. This was partly because he didn't think he could stand Fred and George singing, "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad" one more time, **

Sirius chuckled again lightly, at least until he finished that paragraph.

**and partly because he wanted to examine Riddle's diary again, and knew that Ron thought he was wasting his time.**

Sirius scowled, and the others were all looking either anxious or frustrated.

**Harry sat on his four-poster and flicked through the blank pages, not one of which had a trace of scarlet ink on it. Then he pulled a new bottle out of his bedside cabinet, dipped his quill into it, and dropped a blot onto the first page of the diary.**

"Sometimes he's too clever for his own good," Minerva said sadly. Normally, that's a good thing… but not for something like this.

**The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished. **

"That's not good," Remus whispered, his concern growing. What happens now?

**Excited, Harry loaded up his quill a second time and wrote, "My name is Harry Potter."**

Severus groaned. You think that Potter would learn by now not to say his name to just anyone.

**The words shone momentarily on the page and they, too, sank without trace. Then, at last, something happened.**

**Oozing back out of the page, in his very own ink, came words Harry had never written.**

**_"Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?"_**

"NO!" Molly yelled, startling them all. "Harry, please, go and show the diary to Dumbledore! Something that can talk back like this isn't safe!"

"He didn't know that though," Arthur said, his face white as a sheet. "He wasn't raised in the Wizarding world and he didn't know who Tom Riddle really is. So he never realized just how dangerous that book is."

But Ginny knew, said a tiny voice in the back of his mind… you warned her against something like that and… No. Ginny was young. She didn't know that it belonged to Voldemort. It's that bastard's fault that this happened anyway. Don't you dare think, even for a second, that your sweet, Ginny was responsible for this for a moment.

**These words, too, faded away, but not before Harry had started to scribble back.**

**"Someone tried to flush it down a toilet."**

Despite the danger Harry was in, Albus couldn't help but smile at Harry's naivety, and it pained him to think that naivety had to fade so quickly.

**He waited eagerly for Riddle's reply.**

**_"Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read."_**

**"What do you mean?" Harry scrawled, blotting the page in his excitement.**

**_"I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. _**

"You can say that again," Arthur shivered, his hatred for Lucius still burning stronger than ever.

**_Things that were covered up. Things that  
happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."_**

**"That's where I am now," Harry wrote quickly. "I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"**

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to regret hearing this?" Sirius groaned.

"Because I think we all are," Remus moaned back.

**His heart was hammering. Riddle's reply came quickly, his writing becoming untidier, as though he was hurrying to tell all he knew.**

**_"Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. _**

_'Someone was expelled, but it had been the wrong person,' _Albus thought sadly_._

**_But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned."_**

"More like you framed someone else for your dirty work," Minerva said furiously. "Why you had to pin the blame on the absolute last person…" she couldn't go on.

Most of the room looked at her in surprise and Tonks asked, "Are we missing something?"

"I'm sure that it'll explain everything before this chapter is over," Albus replied sadly.

**Harry nearly upset his ink bottle in his hurry to write back.**

**"It's happening again now. There have been three attacks and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?"**

**_"I can show you, if you like,"_**** came Riddle's reply. _"You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him."_**

"What does it mean by that?" Molly asked in a scared tone. She looked to Dumbledore and asked, "It can't really do that can it? I mean, what exactly is the diary? How can it think for itself like this?"

"I have a few theories," Albus admitted to her. "But I'm not a hundred percent sure just yet. That is one of the reasons I've been so keen on reading this book. I hope that I'll be able to confirm some of my suspicions."

"But how does a book intend to take you back in time?" Tonks asked in disbelief.

"I think that this diary works similar to a pensive," Remus told her thoughtfully.

**Harry hesitated, his quill suspended over the diary. What did Riddle mean? How could he be taken inside somebody else's memory? He glanced nervously at the door to the dormitory, which was growing dark. When he looked back at the diary, he saw fresh words forming.**

**_"Let me show you."_**

"No, don't answer," Severus said annoyed. How thick can this boy get?

**Harry paused for a fraction of a second and then wrote two letters.**

"Don't you answer it," Sirius warned.

**OK**

"No," Molly and Sirius groaned.

**The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Mouth hanging open, Harry saw that the little square for June thirteenth seemed to have turned into a miniscule television screen. His hands trembling slightly, he raised the book to press his eye against the little window, and before he knew what was happening, he was tilting forward; the window was widening, he felt his body leave his bed, and he was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page, into a whirl of color and shadow.**

"Much like my own pensieve," Albus said attentively.

"So it really is just a portable pensieve?" Molly asked slowly.

"I don't think so," Remus said slowly. "It's something much more sinister than that… but I can't figure out what it is."

"Well," Severus said softly with a trace of his sneer. "I would say that it is an incredibly powerful piece of dark magic… but not even I have ever heard of something like this."

"_Tom_ sure has outdone himself didn't he?" Sirius growled.

Albus sighed sadly, "He always did."

**He felt his feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around him came suddenly into focus.**

**He knew immediately where he was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore's office — but it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk. A wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of white hair, was reading a letter by candlelight. Harry had never seen this man before.**

"Must be Headmaster Dippet," Albus said, remembering back when he was still the Transfiguration teacher and how he used to teach in that sunny classroom on the first floor. It was times like this that made him wish that he was still in that classroom and teaching his students how to turn animals into objects and back again. Where the most that he had to worry about was making sure his students did their homework.

**"I'm sorry," he said shakily. "I didn't mean to butt in —"**

Sirius chuckled in spite of himself, "He won't notice, Harry. It's just a memory.

**But the wizard didn't look up. He continued to read, frowning slightly. Harry drew nearer to his desk and stammered, "Er — I'll just go, shall I?"**

**Still the wizard ignored him. He didn't seem even to have heard him. Thinking that the wizard might be deaf, Harry raised his voice.**

**"Sorry I disturbed you. I'll go now," he half-shouted.**

**The wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past Harry without glancing at him, and went to draw the curtains at his window.**

"You think he'd figure it out by now?" Severus said with a sneer.

**The sky outside the window was ruby-red; it seemed to be sunset. The wizard went back to the desk, sat down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door.**

**Harry looked around the office. No Fawkes the phoenix — no whirring silver contraptions. This was Hogwarts as Riddle had known it, meaning that this unknown wizard was Headmaster, not Dumbledore, and he, Harry, was little more than a phantom, completely invisible to the people of fifty years ago.**

"Finally, that Potter brain figures it out," Severus sneered.

"I'm warning you, Snape," Sirius growled. Can't Snape go five minutes without insulting his godson? He thought that he made it clear to take all of his hatred on him and to leave Harry alone.

**There was a knock on the office door.**

**"Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.**

**A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Harry, but he, too, had jet-black hair.**

"This was back when Tom was only sixteen," Albus said softly remembering the boy that he, himself, taught all those years ago.

"Wow," Tonks said scathingly. "Murderer at sixteen, he sure doesn't waste time does he?"

**"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.**

**"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle. He looked nervous.**

**"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."**

**"Oh," said Riddle. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.**

**"My dear boy," said Dipper kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"**

**"No," said Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that — to that —"**

**"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.**

"Oh, so he grew up in an orphanage?" Remus asked in surprise.

Albus nodded, confirming this.

**"Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly.**

**"You are Muggle-born?"**

**"Half-blood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."**

"Ha," Sirius grinned. "The nutjob wizard who's so desperate for Pureblood superiority is only a Half-blood himself. I would love to see dear Bellatrix's face when she finds out about this."

**"And are both your parents —?"**

**"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me — Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."**

"What a strange name," Tonks muttered.

**Dipper clucked his tongue sympathetically.**

**"The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances…"**

**"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle, and Harry's heart leapt, and he moved closer, scared of missing anything.**

**"Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy… the death of that poor little girl… You will be safer by far at your orphanage. **

"Safe doesn't always mean happy," Sirius muttered scornfully before glaring at Dumbledore as if he was something that was stuck at the bottom of his shoes.

Albus looked away, his heart riddled with guilt.

**As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the — er — source of all this unpleasantness…"**

"I don't get it," Tonks said. "If Riddle hated going back to that orphanage and he considers Hogwarts a real home, then why is he setting the monster on other students when he knows that they'll have to close the school because of it?"

She looked around her and went on, "I mean, if he doesn't want to stay at a Muggle orphanage, then he wouldn't pull something like this would he?"

"Oh, I think that he knew all along what he was doing," Albus said, his eyes showing signs of age and sadness. "He had this planned out. He was always planning on framing someone else for the attacks so that he could slip away."

"Just when I thought that slimeball couldn't get any lower," Sirius said shaking his head, his hatred for Riddle growing.

**Riddle's eyes had widened.**

**"Sir — if the person was caught — if it all stopped —"**

**"What do you mean?" said Dippet with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"**

"Oh, yes he knows something about these attacks," Sirius snarled. "Because he's the one behind them in the first place!"

**"No, sir," said Riddle quickly.**

**But Harry was sure it was the same sort of "no" that he himself had given Dumbledore.**

"Don't you dare," Sirius growled, "Don't you ever compare yourself to him, Harry!"

"You're nothing like him," Molly agreed fiercely.

Arthur looked from Molly to Sirius before sharing a look with Remus. Remus nodded, a slight smile on his thin features—knowing that they were both thinking the same thing. Yes, if only Molly and Sirius could agree more often. They would be winning this war with no problems at all.

**Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.**

**"You may go, Tom…"**

**Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Harry followed him.**

**Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped, and so did Harry, watching him. Harry could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.**

**Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, he hurried off, Harry gliding noiselessly behind him. They didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase.**

Albus raised his eyebrows at this. Could it be…?

**"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"**

**Harry gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore.**

"Wow," Sirius said impressed as he looked up to Dumbledore who was smiling. "You mean to tell me that you had red hair?"

"A wonderful, auburn color actually," he said, his eyes twinkling.

Everyone looked at him, and tried to imagine him with auburn hair. They never really thought of Dumbledore as an old man… but to actually think about him being young was so foreign to them.

**"I had to see the headmaster, sir," said Riddle.**

**"Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore, giving Riddle exactly the kind of penetrating stare Harry knew so well. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since…"**

"Did you know that it was him?" Arthur asked quickly.

"I suspected that he had something to do with this," Albus admitted grimly, "But I could never prove anything."

**He sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode off. Riddle watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Harry in hot pursuit.**

**But to Harry's disappointment, Riddle led him not into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel but to the very dungeon in which Harry had Potions with Snape. **

"That would ruin anyone's day," Sirius said shrewdly. Snape glared at him.

**The torches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, Harry could only just see him, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside.**

**It felt to Harry that they were there for at least an hour. All he could see was the figure of Riddle at the door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue. And just when Harry had stopped feeling expectant and tense and started wishing he could return to the present, he heard something move beyond the door.**

Albus sighed, knowing that this was where Hagrid's life would take a drastic turn for the worst.

**Someone was creeping along the passage. He heard whoever it was pass the dungeon where he and Riddle were hidden. Riddle, quiet as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, Harry tiptoeing behind him, forgetting that he couldn't be heard.**

All of them, even Snape, though he would never admit to it, was impressed with how well Harry was taking this. No matter where you are or what you're doing, it was always best to exercise caution wherever you go.

**For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises. Harry heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.**

**"C'mon… gotta get yeh outta here… C'mon now… in the box…"**

**There was something familiar about that voice…**

"I know what you mean," Molly said slowly. "Where have I heard that voice?"

**Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. Harry stepped out behind him. He could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.**

**"Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply.**

A stunned silence fell on the room.

"Hagrid?" Tonks whispered. "No way… he didn't…"

"It was Hagrid?!" Remus demanded, remembering the kindly giant from his own school days. "You mean that out of all the people that he could've framed… he framed Hagrid?!"

"We always knew that he was expelled from school," Sirius whispered. He had always wondered, and though he asked him many times, Hagrid never once told him. Now that he knew, he wished he never asked. He could only imagine just how hard it must've been for Hagrid to be blamed for the murder of a girl…

"How could they expel Hagrid?" Tonks demanded before glaring at Dumbledore as if it was his fault. He gave her a sad look and said, "I wish I could've stopped it. But all the evidence was stacked against Hagrid. I knew that Hagrid would never have done this, but I couldn't back it up. The best I could do was to convince Headmaster Dippet to let Hagrid stay as gamekeeper."

"Just one more reason to hate that bastard, Voldemort," Sirius growled.

**The boy slammed the door shut and stood up.**

**"What yer doin' down here, Tom?"**

**Riddle stepped closer.**

**"It's all over," he said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."**

**"'N at d'yeh —"**

"Hagrid may not have a normal view of what's dangerous, but he would never protect any creature if it actually kill someone," Remus said angrily.

**"I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and —"**

**"It never killed no one!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind him, Harry could hear a funny rustling and clicking.**

"I know that I'm going to regret asking this," Tonks said, "But what's in there?!"

"I have a feeling we're about to find out," Remus answered nervously.

**"Come on, Rubeus," said Riddle, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered…"**

**"It wasn't him!" roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn'! He never!"**

"I agree that as much as Hagrid loves his pets, I don't think they would stand up for them if they attacked a human…" Remus said slowly.

"I'm not so sure about that," Sirius muttered, thinking of Fluffy.

**"Stand aside," said Riddle, drawing out his wand.**

**His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made Harry let out a long, piercing scream unheard by anyone.**

"No what is it?!" Molly screamed.

**A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers — Riddle raised his wand again, but he was too late. The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leapt on him, seized his wand, and threw him back down, yelling, "NOOOOOO!"**

"I can see what you mean by Hagrid had all the evidence against him," Remus said slowly.

"Yeah," Sirius said, looking upset. "If he had a giant spider wandering around the castle, he really wasn't helping his case."

"Voldemort is sure convincing though isn't he?" Tonks said grumpily. "I knew that he framed Hagrid all along, but I almost forgot about that as I was listening to him."

"Controlling what other people think is what he does best," Albus said forlornly, thinking back to those days. Thinking of the handsome boy and his group of Slytherins that nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters because of the words that came out of Tom's mouth.

"But how can a spider petrify people?" Tonks asked. "There's no way. Dippet should've thought of that before they snapped Hagrid's wand in half."

"As long as the attacks stopped," Albus said simply. "No one cared."

"Well that's just rubbish!" Molly snarled at the injustice.

**The scene whirled, the darkness became complete; Harry felt himself falling and, with a crash, he landed spread-eagled on his four-poster in the Gryffindor dormitory, Riddle's diary lying open on his stomach.**

**Before he had had time to regain his breath, the dormitory door opened and Ron came in.**

**"There you are," he said.**

**Harry sat up. He was sweating and shaking.**

**"What's up?" said Ron, looking at him with concern.**

**"It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."**

"No, it wasn't. Believe your friends, Harry, not some dumb book. Harry, you know that it could've possibly have been Hagrid," Molly said upset.

"How can he think that?" Sirius asked angrily.

"Well, what would you think after seeing that memory? I'm sure he changes his mind quickly though once he stops to think of it," Remus replied bitterly. "But with Hagrid and his obsession with dangerous creatures… I'm not saying that he would ever do it, but I think that it is possible that if Hagrid ever heard about a monster in the school, he would've wanted to meet it."

"I don't care," Tonks said furiously. "I would never believe Hagrid capable of doing something like that."

"Yeah, but hopefully, Harry will be able to clear things up later," Sirius said as he tossed the book to the table and scratched across the surface. "And that is the end of chapter 13."

They were all thinking about what they just learned, trying to make sense of what might've happened next.

"Hagrid," Albus explained after a few minutes of quiet. "Was blamed for the attacks on Muggle-borns fifty years ago. I knew that he was innocent, but I could never prove it. I wasn't the Headmaster at the time so I'm afraid that I didn't have much say. But I do believe that it was a good thing Harry and his friends found out about this."

"You think?" Sirius asked coming out of his deep thoughts.

"Sirius, you were here when we were reading about his first year. Do you honestly think they'll blame Hagrid and just settle with that?"

"Good point," he said as he held out the book. "So who wants to read next?"

Molly checked her watch. "I think we should have dinner now, it's starting to get late," she said as she looked to the teachers. "Will you all be staying as well?"

"We really shouldn't be gone from the school for much longer," Minerva said, looking at the book—aching to know more of what happens.

"But we'll be back soon," Albus assured her gently. "We'll make sure that everything's safe up at Hogwarts and we'll be back as soon as we finish dinner."

Severus and Minerva both got up at the same time that he did and they accompanied everyone else all the way down to the kitchen before they said their goodbyes. Sirius brought the book down with them so that he could go over several parts in the older chapters with the others. He wanted to look over every detail that he could, in fear that he missed something important. But curious about what the next chapter would talk about to, he turned to chapter 14 and read out with a look of disgust, "**Chapter 14: Cornelius Fudge**."


	17. Cornelius Fudge

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 14: Cornelius Fudge**

Albus was trying to eat the dinner that the House-elves worked so hard to prepare, but everything he ate tonight tasted like cardboard. He was so lost in his thoughts of what he just learnt from that book that he just moved his food around on the plate. So instead, he tried to listen to what Pomona had to tell him about how some of her Venomous Tentaculas tried to strangle a couple first years because they were trying to show off to their classmates when she left the greenhouses for a second.

He laughed and nodded whenever she stopped, but every once in awhile, he would look over at the Gryffindor table to see the trio looking tired and worn-out from all the work that they were struggling under. It was the only few times he could spare a glance at Harry.

He was sure that Harry hated that he was actively ignoring him and he had a feeling that the boy might even be angry at him for it… but it was for his own good. Albus didn't enjoy it one bit either, but he couldn't risk Harry's safety for anything—and even being in the same room together would put Harry in danger.

"Something wrong, Dumbledore?" Pomona asked when she finally noticed that he wasn't listening.

"Hmm?" Albus asked as he looked back at the squat little witch, "Oh, I'm sorry, Pomona—what were you saying about your plants?"

She looked a little disgruntled that he hadn't been paying attention. "Alright, what's wrong?"

"I'm perfectly fine," he lied. "I just have a lot on my mind these days."

She nodded, but still looked slightly suspicious. "That's understandable with everything that the papers are saying about you, Albus. But for the last few days you've been looking so pale… and you've been disappearing for long periods of time. In fact, we only see you at mealtimes anymore."

"Ah," he said pleasantly, "It's nothing that you need to worry about, I promise you. Now, please tell me how are your classes coming along?"

She frowned for one more brief second before she brightened up and went into a long explanation about how she was making sure that her O.W.L students were working hard and she hoped that they would pass with at least an E.

Albus made sure to listen until she finished and then struck up a conversation with Professor Sinistra. Once she had turned her attention away from him, he went back to his thoughts. He thought of the books that were back at Grimmauld Place… there were only a few more chapters left—and he knew that what he suspected was going to be revealed at last.

Was that diary a Horcrux? Form what he had seen so far, he was almost certain of it. A mere memory that was talking back and have a mind of its own? He was almost certain that it was a Horcrux… but he would have to wait until he reads about the encounter with Harry and Tom in the Chamber to be certain…

And if his suspicions were indeed correct, then how many were still left?

When dinner was finally over, he looked to Minerva and Severus—who both nodded. Minerva got up first and left the hall, talking to Charity Burbage that she was going to be up all night grading papers. A few minutes later, Severus got up and left for the dungeons without a word like he always did, neither one of them looking the slightest bit suspicious and Umbridge hardly paid them any attention.

Once his two teachers were long gone, he got up and pretended that he was going to turn in early. Hopefully, they could finish that book tonight and make it back without Umbridge noticing anything.

_*Grimmauld Place*_

Nobody really talked all that much, they were all more focused on the food. They were all so into the book that they never realized just how hungry they all were. The only times any of them said anything was when they were quoting stuff from the books. "Really," Tonks said once. "How they made it all the way to their fifth year, I'll never know. Most of the Auror department hasn't had that much experience and not only have they already _left_ Hogwarts they've had special training!"

Molly was still looking upset about the diary, and Arthur was the only one who clearly understood why. While everyone else poured over the book, he whispered, "But you do know that if Harry never found the book—then he might never have found where the Chamber of Secrets is and saved Ginny?"

She gave him a watery smile. "I know…" she whispered. "And I can't begin to say just how grateful I am for risking so much for my baby girl… but why? Why did our daughter have to be the one to find that blasted book? And why did it have to be Harry who picked it up that day?"

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I don't know, Molly. But that's just how things happened. We can't change it. Let's just be glad that everything turned out alright in the end."

She sniffed. "Ok… I know I can't change it, and I know that Ginny's safe and everything was solved… but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Meanwhile across the table…

"I still don't get it," Tonks was saying to Remus. "If Tom Riddle, a.k.a Voldemort is a Half-blood, then why is he trying to pass of as a Pureblood and wipe out everyone else who has even the slightest bit of Muggle blood?"

Remus shrugged. "He grew up in a Muggle orphanage. And I'm guessing that he's disgusted with his Muggle heritage and seeks confirmation of his own perceived greatness through his relation to Salazar Slytherin. Let's not forget that it was Slytherin who started the Pureblood idea."

"Who cares?" Sirius growled angrily, pushing the book away from him as if it was something that might contaminate him. "Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters plan to wipe out every person who doesn't share the same crazy ideas that they do. Who cares why he's doing it as long as we put a stop to him."

They blinked at the sudden hostility that Sirius had. Remus looked concerned and asked him, "Sirius… are you alright?"

Sirius just made an unfamiliar noise deep in his throat that sounded like a cross between a bark and a growl and refused to answer them.

Truthfully, Sirius felt very conflicted. He was thinking about what his godson had to go through when someone baited just a little bit of information above his nose. He snuck into the Slytherin common room just to get a little bit of information that was being kept from him. Which was making him wonder… if Harry was determine to go to those lengths to find out about something, just how far would he go?

Once Harry had set his mind to something, there was no stopping him. He was determine to learn about things that others were hiding from him and looked what happened. He kept getting into danger because everyone was trying to protect him from the truth… well did that mean that by keeping him and the others in the dark about what the Order was planning—was that doing more harm than they realize?

He didn't know what to do…

Sirius didn't want to keep all this important stuff from Harry, but at the same time he felt that was one of the few ways he could protect his godson. Which lead to another piece of hard truth… how could he protect anyone when he was trapped in this God-forsaken house?

_*Not long later*_

Almost as soon as dinner was over, the teachers had come back. After a quick hello they all started to head back to the drawing room to finish the book. But as Sirius made to get up, Remus put a hand on his shoulder.

Tonks raised her eyebrows at him and he told them all, "We'll be in there in a minute," he promised. "I just wanted to talk to Sirius for a second—alone."

"What is it Remus?" Sirius asked as everyone else left. Remus sighed as he looked him full in the face.

"I want to know why you're acting like this Sirius," he said slowly. "You've been in a bad mood all evening and I want to know why. If it's about Harry finding the diary, you know that he didn't know any better. He was only twelve years old and…"

"Well, he would've known if I wasn't such an idiot," Sirius growled back, not looking at Remus.

Remus blinked in surprise, not understanding for a minute before saying softly, "Sirius, we've been over this a million times. James and Lily's deaths aren't your fault."

"Yes it is. I am the one that suggested the stupid idea of naming Peter the damn Secret Keeper. If I had just…"

"Sirius," said Remus in a stern tone. "The first war is over and done with, we can't change that. But we're in the middle of another one. We need to fight together to stop Voldemort and stop worrying about what might've been. And once that's taken care of, then Harry will be free. He won't have to worry anymore… until then you just have to hang in there."

"So that's your plan?" Sirius asked him quietly. "Wish I had one."

"What are you…?"

"Moony, be honest," Sirius asked as he looked him full in the face with a kind of helplessness. "What kind of future is there for me? There's nothing for me to plan for. There's no way out of this mess, and no way that I can fight it. I'm stuck in this house, listening to all of you guys out there fighting against Voldemort and this war. I'm stuck here not being able to do anything. Even if we make the ministry see sense, where will that leave me? What good am I anymore? I might as well be dead."

Remus stared at him, opened-mouth. He knew for months that being trapped in this house wasn't doing Sirius any good, but this was the first time that he ever heard Sirius wish that he was dead. This was really scaring him. But he still had one thing that might be able to pull his friend out of it.

"What about Harry?" he said quietly. Sirius looked up at him with over-bright eyes. "Padfoot… think about it. You've got plenty to fight for. And even more to live for! I mean, don't you want to see Harry removed from the Durselys for good? To see that he's safe? For the two of you to get to know each other? You both have a lot to catch up on… that's your future right there."

He thought for a moment before going on, "I know that the Ministry might not allow it but…"

"The Ministry can rot for all I care," Sirius said to himself in a voice that sounded far away. "But if this war doesn't stop soon. Voldemort is gonna go after Harry." He thought about his godson and what kind of life he could have if his name was ever cleared. He thought about Harry being at the very top of Voldemort's 'To Kill' list and how he'll stop at nothing to get him.

He had to hold onto that feeling of protectiveness. He looked at Remus and said, "I'll tear down the sky if it'll protect Harry."

"Then you have to stay alive," Remus said in relief. "Come on. The more we learn about Voldemort, the better chance we have to figure out a way to help both Harry and you."

Sirius gave him a appreciative smile as he stood up and hugged him like that night in the Shrieking Shack when they saw each other for the first time in twelve years. He held him close like a pair of bothers would before he let go. "How on earth I managed to survive without the reasonable one I'll never know."

Remus laughed as he led the way out of the kitchen and almost ran into Tonks on the stairs.

"Ouch!" she cried out. "Oh, sorry!"

Sirius's mother started screaming again. "STAINS OF DISHONOR, FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BLOOD TRAITORS, CHILDREN OF FILTH!"

"Don't worry about it," Sirius called over his mother's banshee-like voice. He turned away, trying to hide his wet eyes.

Knowing that Sirius wanted to take his time going upstairs, Remus merely leads Tonks up and away from Sirius as he dealt with that portrait.

"Sorry for taking so long," he told her. "But we needed to get a few things cleared up."

"Don't worry about it," said Tonks. "But we better hurry. Dumbledore says that he wanted to finish the book tonight if it was possible. And I think that McGonagall and Snape both want to hear what happens to the trio as well, but you know Snape… he would never admit to something like that."

Remus nodded, "I know that all too well."

They entered the room, too see that everyone looked impatient. "What kept you?" Minerva asked.

"Nothing that you need to worry about," Remus assured her. "Sirius will be up in a minute, he's dealing with that blasted painting."

Minerva sighed before turning to Dumbledore and asking, "Really, Albus. I don't suppose that you'll do anything about that hideous canvas?"

"That's got to be the nicest thing I ever heard anyone say about my mother," Sirius said as he finally came in, and Remus was glad to see that his eyes were dry, though slightly red.

Albus smiled. "I'll see what I can do. But I'm afraid that the three of us," he gestured to him and the other teachers, "Don't have much time. I think that Umbridge is starting to get suspicious."

"Right," Tonks said as she opened the book. "If no one minds," she spoke to the room. "I don't mind reading."

"By all means," Dumbledore said courteously.

She smiled at him brightly, but it soon faded as she read the chapter name out loud. "**Chapter 14: Cornelius Fudge**."

"That pathetic excuse for a Minister?" Sirius growled furiously. "What the hell is he doing there?"

"I'm sure that we'll find out," Albus said with a cold stare at the book. He knew what this chapter was going to be about and he knew that he wasn't going to like one bit of it.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. During their first year at Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he'd christened "Fluffy." And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Harry was sure he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it. **

"You know…" Sirius said cautiously, "What did Hagrid ever do with Fluffy?"

The others looked to Dumbledore who gave a slight laugh, "I do remember that he was asking to keep him…"

"Please tell me that you didn't agree," Molly said panicky. "Honestly, Albus. It was dangerous having a dog like that locked up! In a school no less!"

He waved his hands at her in a soothingly way and said, "I realize that. Now that the Stone was no longer at the school, there was really no more point of keeping Fluffy. It took a little while but I was able to convince Hagrid that it would be for the best if he returned Fluffy to his original owner."

"I don't even want to know the dog breeder who bread that thing," Arthur muttered with a shutter. Just hearing about that dog was awful.

**He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; Harry could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. **

It wasn't hard for any of them to imagine and believe that as well. Really, this was Hagrid that they were talking about.

**But he was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.**

"Oh, good," Molly sighed in relief. "I didn't like the idea of Harry turning against Hagrid like that."

"Nah," Sirius said proudly. "He would never turn against a friend unless he had to. And how can you not be on Hagrid's side?"

"Anyone who knows Hagrid would be aware that he would never hurt anyone," Remus stated with a nod.

"It is hard not to trust him," Minerva agreed. She had actually gone to school with Hagrid and was only two years ahead of him. She knew that some of his… ah, _pets_ had gotten him into trouble many times, but the Hagrid that she knew would never hurt anyone if he could help it.

**Harry half wished he hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary. Again and again Ron and Hermione made him recount what he'd seen, until he was heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed.**

**"Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people…"**

**"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.**

"You would be surprised," Severus said in a surprisingly distasteful voice.

"But it's the ones that live in the forest that you have to worry about," Sirius said knowingly.

"Yes," Minerva said with her eyes narrowed as Molly gave him a disapproving glare. "You would know wouldn't you?"

He shrugged with a smile. "It's who I am."

**"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."**

**Ron tried a different tack.**

**"Riddle does sound like Percy — who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?"**

"Ron!" Molly said her eyes blazing. "Your brother isn't like that monster! So stop comparing the two!"

"But of all the people out there, why did Voldemort frame Hagrid?" Tonks demanded angrily. "And how could anyone think that Hagrid would actually kill someone? I mean the idea of Hagrid being Slytherin's heir is as ridiculous as Harry being the heir."

"Someone had been killed, Tonks," Minerva said sadly. Remembering the day when she came downstairs from the girls dormitory to hear that Hagrid had been expelled, it had broken the hearts of everyone in Gryffindor tower that day.

"But was there any proof that he did it?!" Tonks demanded. "I mean, how can anyone actually think that?"

"I'm afraid," Albus said with a hard look. "That as long as the attacks stopped, no one cared."

"That's justice for you," Sirius hissed furiously. What is wrong with authority these days?

**"But the monster had killed someone, Ron," said Hermione.**

**"And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here…"**

Albus felt his usual pang of guilt whenever Harry's home life was mentioned, but then Molly shouted out in a furious voice that snapped him back to the conversation, "So that's it!? Is that why he came up with all that Pureblood nonsense?!"

"I'm guessing," Remus said with a frown. "Me and Tonks were talking about this at dinner. He hated the Muggle orphanage where he was forced to grow up in and wanted to leave. He wants to take his revenge out on Muggles… try to make everyone else pay for his beginning in life."

"What a…" Sirius said, calling Voldemort something so bad that he knew that if he called it to anyone else, Molly would've made him clean his mouth out with soap.

Tonks looked vaguely surprised by her cousin's vocabulary before he said, "Can't say that I blame him for not wanting to go back."

Sirius was thinking to what he would do if he was forced to leave school and return to Grimmauld Place with his parents full-time. He shuttered, trying to remove the images, "But if he really didn't want to go back to an orphanage, then he wouldn't have sent a monster after the students and put the school in a position where it might have to be closed in the first place. So then he decides to frame an innocent person."

"He got away with it though," Severus said, his voice devoid of emotion. Tonks went on reading just to be able to do something.

**"You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you, Harry?"**

"What does that have to do with the attacks?" Arthur asked in surprise.

"I remember Hagrid saying that he was looking for flesh-eating slug repellent for the school vegetables," Remus said slowly. "That doesn't exactly scream out as evil or dangerous."

**"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," said Harry quickly.**

**The three of them fell silent. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice.**

**"Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"**

"I think that they should get Hagrid's side of the story before they decide if he's behind the attacks or not," Arthur said nodding.

"But that isn't exactly going to turn out as a friendly visit," Sirius said.

**"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"**

"Mad and hairy?" repeated Tonks with a smile. "Is it just me or does it sound more like he describing Hagrid then the monster?"

Remus had a bitter smile on his face as he ran a hand through his graying hair. "I personally think that it sounds like me at the full moon."

Sirius clamped a hand on his shoulder, just as Moony had done for him earlier. "That's only once a month though. The rest of the time we know that you wouldn't hurt a fly."

Remus gave him a gratifying look as Tonks smiled gently at him from across the room which caused a slight blush across his cheeks. She then went on to his greatest relief.

**In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good.**

"That's good," Tonks said with a nod.

"All the more proof that diary has something to do with the attacks," Sirius snarled, wishing that Harry would have had the sense to toss that little black book.

**Peeves had finally got bored of his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song, **

"About time," Minerva said. "That song got annoying real quick."

"Yeah, now Peeves can go back to insulting everyone else by song," Sirius grinned. By the end of every school year Peeves always makes a song for every single student… all of them rude of course.

**Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.**

**"The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature," she told Harry. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."**

**The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.**

"Yes, she did," Minerva said, feeling bad for how much work that the girl was forced to do the next year.

**"… it could affect our whole future," she told Harry and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.**

**"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.**

"You can't do that until sixth year," Remus said, remembering how he wished he could give it up when he was choosing for his classes. He couldn't count just how many times he melted his cauldron… he was always hopeless at potions.

"But I don't blame him for wanting to," Sirius said.

Albus looked at his Potions Master with his eyebrows raised and said, "You know Severus, I think that you should try to work to be a little more patient with your students. You're making them want to drop a perfectly good and important subject."

"Just more evidence that they can't handle such a complicated subject," Severus said coolly.

Sirius rolled his eyes, about to give Severus a good retort but Tonks went on before he could even open his mouth.

**"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."**

"That's an important subject, Ron!" Molly shouted in shock. "Why would he want to drop it?"

"Can you blame them?" Tonks asked. "I would drop it too if Lockhart was the one teaching me."

"Not much point in taking a class with a substandard teacher," Remus admitted.

"Thank goodness that he didn't last longer than a year," Minerva stated as Severus grinned, wanting to get to the part when Lockhart lost his memory.

**"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.**

**"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."**

"That is a pit of useful know-how," Tonks laughed.

"Ah, he won't have to worry for much longer," Sirius chuckled as he looked at Remus. "After all, Professor Moony will be teaching next year. Can't wait to read about some on your classes."

Remus smiled. He really did enjoy teaching, and a part of him wished that he could've stayed.

**Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes. **

"They're both hard," Sirius declared. "You need a lot of patience and actually want to learn it… otherwise it's just torture going to class."

"Oh," Remus said with an air of understanding, "So that's why you never took those classes."

"I am not ashamed to admit that patience is not one of my better points," Sirius said happily.

**Dean Thomas, who, like Harry, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything.**

"Poor girl," Remus said shaking his head. "That's a lot of work to do."

"I can't believe that you let her take every subject," Tonks said accusingly to the teachers.

"She felt that she could handle it," Minerva sighed. "But she dropped a couple subjects by the end of that year. So she's back to a normal schedule."

"Good for her," Molly said. "She had enough on her plate without having all those classes to worry about."

**Harry smiled grimly to himself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if he tried to discuss his career in wizardry with them. Not that he didn't get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience.**

"This should be good," Sirius said sarcastically.

**"Depends where you want to go, Harry," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination. **

_'Should have known,'_ Sirius thought to himself. _'Divination's a joke, and who was the one that motivated them to take such a dumb class? Percy.'_

"Look who recommended Divination!" Minerva said in surprise. "Don't know why he would… Divination is a load of rubbish."

"Yes," Albus said out loud. "You've always had such strong distaste for the subject but that doesn't mean that it's a completely useless one. If you don't believe me then think of the Hall of Prophecy at the Ministery."

**People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them — look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Harry."**

Sirius blinked. "You know? That's not half-bad advice. I'm impressed."

"Like you would know of good advice," Molly said, thinking of all the crazy and reckless things he had done since he broke out of prison.

As if he knew what she was thinking about, he said, "You know why I did all that. I had no choice."

**But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch. **

Most of them shook their head, disagreeing with Harry. All of them, even Snape, knew that Harry was amazing at many other things.

Sirius glared at the book with a frown; he was willing to bet anything that Harry not being able to see all of his many good traits must've been from the Dursleys constantly shooting him down. He had long since lost track of how many reasons he had to kill them.

Severus just didn't like the confirmation that Potter was indeed modest. Come on, isn't anything he thought about the boy correct?

**In the end, he chose the same new subjects as Ron, feeling that if he was lousy at them, at least he'd have someone friendly to help him.**

**Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. **

"Oh, this is going to be good," Sirius said looking excited as Tonks read a little faster, wanting to get to the good stuff. She was embarrassed when she heard that Hufflepuff couldn't last longer than five minutes against Gryffindor during their last match, and was looking for at least a challenge from them.

**Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Harry barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match he went up to his dormitory to drop off his broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better.**

**But his cheerful mood didn't last long. At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, he met Neville Longbottom,** **who was looking frantic.**

"Why?" Arthur asked quickly

"Don't tell me something else happened," Molly said worriedly.

**"Harry — I don't know who did it — I just found —"**

**Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the door.**

**The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.**

"Unbelievable," Tonks said incredulously. "Who would've done this?!"

"Some git's gone through my godson's things?! Who would do that and what was the point?!" bellowed Sirius.

Molly and Arthur glared at Sirius, realizing _who_ it was who it must've been. But he didn't notice because he was too busy looking at the book as if hoping that it would tell him what was going on.

**Harry walked over to the bed, open-mouthed, treading on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls. As he and Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed, Ron, Dean, and Seamus came in. Dean swore loudly.**

**"What happened, Harry?"**

**"No idea," said Harry. But Ron was examining Harry's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.**

"If all the pockets were hanging out that means that someone was looking for something," Tonks said thoughtfully.

Minerva frowned, "What would they want of Harry's? What would he have that someone would be desperate enough to go through his things and steal it?"

"The diary!" Remus and Sirius shouted out in panic. Breathing fast, Sirius was torn between relief that the book was finally out of his godson's hands, but that meant that the school was in danger again.

"Harry," he began as he went very pale, "Was the one who had Riddle's diary which was the key to opening the Chamber of Secrets, I'm sure of it!"

"So the one who's behind all the attacks must've been the one who stole it," Remus said.

**"Someone's been looking for something," said Ron. "Is there anything missing?"**

**Harry started to pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk. It was only as he threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that he realized what wasn't there.**

**"Riddle's diary's gone," he said in an undertone to Ron.**

"Of course it was," Remus said shaking his head.

"But how did they know that Harry was the one who had it?" Tonks asked.

Everyone thought about that, even the Weasleys, who knew that it was Ginny who stole it back, wondered how she found out that it ended up in Harry's possessions.

Albus sighed, "I think I know… back when Draco Malfoy picked it up and was taunting Harry with it; on Valentine's Day when that Dwarf tripped him up."

"But how could they have gotten into the Gryffindor common room?" Tonks questioned him. "I mean unless they made some Polyjuice Potion and snuck it I can't see how they could've done it!"

"Unless," Remus said slowly, "That whoever did this would've had to been in Gryffindor already."

"The heir of Slytherin in Gryffindor?" Sirius asked disbelievingly. "That doesn't make any sense at all."

"They might not have had any choice in the matter," Arthur said darkly. Ginny saw the book in Harry's hands and she must've been scared stiff that Harry would figure out how it worked and find out how it was her that was forced to do all these terrible things.

"You mean that Voldemort might've threatened someone to steal it back for him?" Tonks asked him.

He shrugged. Afraid to say what he knew.

**"What?"**

**Harry jerked his head toward the dormitory door and Ron followed him out. They hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy.**

**Hermione looked aghast at the news.**

**"But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody else knows our password —"**

**"Exactly," said Harry.**

"But who would do that?" asked Remus. "They must've been in Gryffindor and known about the diary and what it can do…" His eyes widened. No… no it couldn't be a Gryffindor behind these attacks… could it?

**They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.**

**"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."**

**Harry had been staring down the packed Gryffindor table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right in front of his eyes. Hermione had been urging him to report the robbery, but Harry didn't like the idea. He'd have to tell a teacher all about the diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago? He didn't want to be the one who brought it all up again.**

"That is a good reason," Albus spoke, a little melancholy that Harry didn't trust him enough to come to him and say what happened. "But I do wish that he came to me."

"I don't think that he trusts authority all that much," Severus said with a sneer. This was basically saying that Potter didn't care about those in charge and…

"I don't blame him," Tonks said with a nod. "Don't you all remember last year? When they tried to tell someone in charge that someone was going to try and steal the Stone and no one took them seriously? I mean, if that happened to me I would have trouble trusting authority like that again. How could they trust a teacher to listen to them?"

McGonagall went red and turned away looking ashamed, as Snape looked as though someone had slapped him.

**As he left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go and collect his Quidditch things, another very serious worry was added to Harry's growing list. He had just set foot on the marble staircase when he heard it yet again.**

"Heard what again?" Minerva asked nervously.

**"Kill this time… let me rip… tear…"**

"Not that voice again!" Molly sighed. "Can't it just go away?"

"Damn it," Sirius growled. "How much clearer can it get? Harry gets the diary… the attacks and voices go away. The day that the diary goes missing, that creepy voice shows up and when it does, it's about to attack!"

"Who is going to be attacked now do you think?" Tonks asked scared.

"Hopefully no one we know," Remus said with a gulp.

**He shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both jumped away from him in alarm.**

"Someone tell me why they can't they hear it?" cried out Tonks in frustration. "I mean, Harry's making it up."

"Because they can't hear it," Albus explained it. "Harry is the only one who _can_ hear that voice."

"Why?" demanded Sirius, suddenly angry. "You make it sound like Harry's losing his mind!"

"You misunderstand me," Albus said patiently. "I mean to say that Harry is the only one who can hear it because he's the only one who can understand it."

"Only one who…?" Tonks began before her eyes widened. "Oh, I get it! Every time Harry's heard the voice there's been an attack. That means that he must be hearing Slytherin's monster whatever it is!"

"Yeah," Sirius said catching on. "Harry can understand the words… and Harry can understand Parseltongue too… and no one else can. Which explains why no one else can hear it! Slytherin's monster is a snake so that means that there's some kind of serpent roaming the school attacking the students!"

"But what kind of snake could do all this?" asked Tonks confused. "I've heard of all kinds of creatures, but what kind of snake can petrify its victims?"

"And how is it getting around the school?" Remus added. "I mean, that snake must've been huge I'm guessing."

"Why ask me?" Sirius demanded. "I honestly don't know. That's what's bugging me! I'm not sure I can wait until the end of the book to learn everything." He looked to Dumbledore and asked, "We do find out everything don't we?"

"Yes," Albus told him gently. "And I can assure you that all the students were revived and the monster was killed."

"Oh, good," Tonks said happily. "I was starting to think that the monster might still be hiding in the Chamber."

**"The voice!" said Harry, -looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again — didn't you?"**

**Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.**

**"Harry — I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"**

**And she sprinted away, up the stairs.**

"Oh, this is good," Molly said with a smile. "It looks like Hermione figured it all out!"

"You think that would bother us that a few second-years were able to figure this out and deal with the problem," Minerva said thinking of the irony, "Better than the whole Hogwarts staff."

"I just hope we can trust that Hermione's right," Sirius said. "I mean, if there's one thing I learned from her is that she's almost always right… but whenever she lets her emotions get in the way, she's almost always wrong. I hope we can trust her judgment here…"

Tonks on the other hand was thinking about something else. "You mean to tell me that she went by herself?!"

"Tonks what's…?" Remus began.

"Hermione's in danger now!" she cried out. "Every time Harry hears that voice, there's an attack!" At those words, she, Remus, and Sirius turned to the teachers who were all looking stony-faced.

"Nothing happened to her did it?" she asked slowly.

When they didn't answer, Tonks read so fast that it was hard to understand her.

**"What does she understand?" said Harry distractedly; still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.**

**"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head.**

There was slight laughter at this, but they were all still anxious hearing about who was the next target.

**"But why's she got to go to the library?"**

**"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."**

"Just like you," Sirius whispered to Remus who grimaced.

"Laugh it up," he whispered back. "At least we both took our studies seriously."

**Harry stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind him, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.**

**"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven — the match —"**

**Harry raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected his Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but his mind was still in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as he pulled on his scarlet robes in the locker room, his only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game.**

"Not everyone," Tonks whimpered, worried for her friend.

**The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.**

**Harry was just mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.**

"Oh, no!" whispered Sirius, before looking up at McGonagall who was pulling out a handkerchief. He knew that his old teacher loved Quidditch more than anyone, and the only reason that she would dare to cancel any match was if something bad had just happened.

**Harry's heart dropped like a stone.**

**"This match has been cancelled," **

Tonks said this in such a perfect mimic of the real McGonagall, that everyone, even Minerva laughed at that before the tone turned grim again.

**Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.**

**"But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play — the cup —Gryffindor —"**

**Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone:**

**"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"**

"Who was it?" Remus asked her slowly. "Who was attacked?"

She sniffled and shook her head. She didn't want to be the one to tell him…

**Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her.**

**"Potter, I think you'd better come with me…"**

"He hasn't done anything! He's been in the locker rooms and on the pitch the whole time!" yelled Sirius in outrage. "He couldn't have done anything! Haven't we already gone through this a hundred times before that Harry isn't the heir of Slytherin!"

"Professor, you didn't really think it was Harry, do you?" Remus asked frowning at Minerva.

"Of course not," she said a little angry that he would ask her that. "I didn't tell him to come with me because I thought that he did it."

They had all looked slightly green when they realized what she was saying.

**Wondering how she could possibly suspect him this time, Harry saw Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off toward the castle. To Harry's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object.**

**"Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley…"**

There worse fears were confirmed. There was only one person it could be…

"We don't know that it was her," said Tonks, trying to stay calm. She looked up desperately and begged, "You took them because you wanted to see what Harry knew or something right?" She looked at the teachers as if hoping that they would nod and say _'yes, now you can stop worrying.'_ But when they didn't and just gave her a piteous look she felt like she was about to cry.

**Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled; others looked worried. Harry and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.**

**"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack… another double attack."**

"Did you say gentle?" Sirius asked, trying to make a joke. "I didn't know that you even had a _gentle_ voice."

His attempts to try and lighten the mood failed miserably.

**Harry's insides did a horrible somersault. Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and he and Ron entered… Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair.**

**Harry recognized her as the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. **

_'Oh, poor Percy,'_ thought Arthur as he took Molly's hand. He overheard that his third son had dated that girl and he must've been devastated when he found out she had been attacked.

**And on the bed next to her was —**

**"Hermione!" Ron groaned.**

"DAMN IT!" Sirius bellowed at the top of his lungs. It was one thing to hear about someone you didn't know being attacked, it was another when it was someone you knew and cared about. Oh, he couldn't begin to imagine just how Harry and Ron took this.

"He is just terrible," Tonks snapped as tears streamed down her cheeks. "He just keeps acting more like a monster. I mean how can one person cause all this suffering when he didn't even have a body back then?! How can anyone be so cruel to actually take your hatred out on kids that you never even met?" She trailed off crying.

"She's alright," Arthur tried to comfort her. "You heard everyone, by the end of the year those who were petrified were just fine."

"But you don't think that they knew that she figured something out about all this do you?" Minerva asked. "If she figured out something about the Chamber then that might've been the reason she was…"

Albus thought that over. "No," he finally said. "I think it was more of a wrong place at the wrong time. After all, the Ravenclaw Prefect was Penelope Clearwater and she's a Half-blood."

"Oh, so now he's going after Half-bloods too?" Sirius said furious. "It looks like only Pureblood Slytherins are safe then! Why that…" he couldn't even think of a good enough word to describe how evil Voldemort was anymore.

**Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.**

_'More staring eyes,' _thought Remus wondering what this all meant.

**"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…"**

**She was holding up a small, circular mirror.**

"Why on earth would she have a mirror with her?" Tonks asked in surprise. Hermione wasn't the type of girl who carried a mirror wherever she went.

Remus bit his lip. The answer was right in front of them, he knew it. All these letting things had to be connected somehow… but how?

**Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.**

**"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case."**

**"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."**

**The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."**

"I'm guessing that no one came forward?" Molly asked, knowing the answer.

She shook her head. "Honestly, why do students think that it's a bad thing to come forward with any information that could help?"

"They're afraid that if they do, then they could get in trouble," Arthur said weakly. "If not from the teachers than the attacker."

**She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.**

**"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff, " said the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin — why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause.**

_'Oh, I wish,'_ thought Sirius savagely. As far as he was concerned, the school would be better off without people like the Slytherins around. Come on, look at Voldemort… he's the prime example.

**Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.**

**"Percy's in shock," George told Harry quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl — Penelope Clearwater — she's a prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect."**

"Actually," Arthur said sorrowfully, "Percy and Penelope were dating that year."

Sirius was so miserable about all this that he almost forgot to be surprised to hear that Percy had actually found a girlfriend. Or that there was a actually a girl who could stand him.

**But Harry was only half-listening. He didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone. **

"Poor Harry," Sirius said, feeling sympathy for his godson. He thought briefly on how it would feel if he was in Harry's place and saw that it had been James—instead of Hermione who was frozen on a hospital bed like a statue—he couldn't imagine just how terrible it must've felt to see your best friend lying there. But he had a feeling that it most feel like your heart was shattering into a thousand pieces, "That must've been a big shock for him."

**And if the culprit wasn't caught soon, he was looking at a lifetime back with the Dursleys. Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. Harry now knew exactly how he had felt.**

"No!" yelled Sirius in fury, standing up. "I won't have that! I don't care what you say or do to me, I'm not allowing him to stay there with those Muggles!"

"Sirius," Albus said quickly, "You know that it didn't happen don't you?!"

Sirius just glared at him as he sat back down. "Oh, yes it did," he snarled, thinking how Harry was forced to go back there time and time again. Damn it, if only he had found out about Harry's home life sooner.

Remus thought about those words for a second before saying, "I hate to say it, but it's actually quite scary how much Harry and Voldemort have in common." He sighed and continued before Sirius, who looked like he was about to explode with rage, could say anything. "I know! I know that they have more differences than similarities, but just consider that both of them are orphans, and didn't have wonderful childhoods. Hogwarts became their first real home and they would want to stay there. They both can speak parseltongue and…"

"Only because of Voldemort," Sirius hissed with venom. "If Voldemort never attacked Harry that night then none of this would've happened. But you do have a point, Remus."

Albus then said, "While they do have many things in common," he looked at them all in a gentle way, even at Severus who was looking horrified at just how much the boy he hated and his old '_Master'_ were familiar with, "But you of course you are right, Remus. That what differs them is much more important than what they have in common."

Dumbledore just smiled his usual smile and asked for Tonks to continue reading.

**"What're we going to do?" said Ron quietly in Harry's ear. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"**

"They better not," Tonks sardonically. There were several sounds of agreement and Sirius couldn't help but feel a fierce pride at how Harry seemed to be a natural leader… he just needed a little training.

**"We've got to go and talk to him," said Harry, making up his mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."**

**"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class —"**

**"I think," said Harry, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."**

Albus chuckled as he then said to Severus, "This means, Severus. That despite what you may have believed, this must be the first time they used the cloak to sneak out that year."

Severus just glared at him. He hated that Potter was acting much more like Lily than his father.

Molly on the other hand groaned, "No, stay inside both of you. Please stay in your rooms. This isn't something you should get involved in."

"What would you have done if one of your best friends was attacked?" Tonks asked cynically. "Once Hermione got attacked, this became personal."

"How much does anyone want to be that Voldemort already knew that?" Sirius growled, thinking how he used that to get to Harry.

**Harry had inherited just one thing from his father: a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. **

Sirius and Remus both look upset at the fact that Lily and James only son only had the cloak from them—he deserved so much more… like his parents.

**It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it. They went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean, and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the cloak over themselves.**

**The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. **

"So how can the corridors be deserted, but crowded at the same time?" asked Sirius thoughtfully which, to his surprise, got a few laughs. Really, he was being serious for once.

**Their Invisibility Cloak didn't stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape stood standing guard. **

"What?!" yelled out Severus in indignation, Potter and Weasley had been right there in front of him! How on earth did he not see that?

**Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. **

"They were lucky for once," Tonks stated as Severus looked murderous.

**It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.**

**It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloak only when they were right outside his front door.**

**Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them. **

"Oi!" Sirius called out resentfully.

"Poor Hagrid," Molly sighed. "He must've been more scared than anyone with all these attacks."

**Fang the boarhound barked loudly behind him.**

**"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you two doin' here?"**

**"What's that for?" said Harry, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.**

**"Nothin' — nothin' —" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' — doesn' matter — Sit down — I'll make tea —"**

**He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.**

They looked to Dumbledore and Remus just had to ask, "You never thought that it was him did you, Sir?"

"Of course not," Albus answered kindly. "But I'm afraid that I couldn't do much to convince others."

"He must've been terrified that they suspect him," Minerva explained.

**"Are you okay, Hagrid?" said Harry. "Did you hear about Hermione?"**

**"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.**

**He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.**

"They better hide!" Sirius groaned. Can't anything go right for them for a change?

**Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron exchanged panicstricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.**

**"Good evening, Hagrid."**

**It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.**

"What were you doing there that night?" Molly asked with a suspicious expression.

Tonks on the other hand must've guessed because she let out a dramatic gasp and cried, "They were there to arrest Hagrid!"

Molly and most of the others were looking outraged, "But there's no evidence against him! They couldn't take him!"

"Just because there's no evidence against you, doesn't mean that you won't get blamed for it," snarled Sirius. "I mean, when did you have to actually commit the crime to be hauled in by the Ministry and then chucked into prison?"

If he ever got his name cleared, he was going to make sure that the Ministry pays for all those years of hell on earth.

**The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.**

Sirius snorted, "So this is the famous head of the Ministry of Magic—a political flunky? Well guess even magic can't help politics!"

No one could remain a straight face after that remark.

**"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"**

**Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.**

**Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.**

**"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."**

**"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir —"**

"But taking Hagrid away won't solve anything!" Arthur called out, forgetting that this was in the past. "How can they think that for even a minute?"

**"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.**

"Wow," Sirius stated. "So even back then you two never got along."

"No, I can't say that we did," Albus sighed. "I'm afraid that he and I never saw eye to eye."

"How an idiot like that ever became the head honcho, I'll never know," Tonks muttered.

**"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something — the school governors have been in touch —"**

**"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen before.**

**"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. **

"Oh, HE'S under a lot of pressure?" Tonks repeated incredulously, "Just imagine how everyone else feels about this!"

"He's got to be SEEN doing something?" Molly yelled in disbelief. "So even three years ago, he didn't care if Hagrid was innocent or not! You just want to shove an innocent man in jail so people will feel that something was getting done?"

"Welcome to my world," Sirius said in a harsh voice. And for a moment he wonder just how many people back in Azkaban were innocent for crimes that they didn't commit. But they at least were given trials… he didn't even get that much.

**If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty —"**

**"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"**

**"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology —"**

"That won't change the fact that you blamed an innocent man for a crime he didn't do!" Molly cried out before she stopped dead and looked over at Sirius's haunted eyes. Was this how she was acting towards Sirius? She knew that he was innocent and framed for a crime that he didn't commit, and she knew that he loved Harry—but…

She never really thought about it, but did she still treat him like she thought that he was guilty? She would have to be sure to talk to him once the they finished this book.

**"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.**

Everyone in the room shivered at the thought. Knowing how terrible the wizard prison was, but no one more so than Sirius. After all, he had been living there for almost half his life.

"You can't take a person to Azkaban without proof!" Arthur said angrily.

"And you have to have some good excuse before you cart them off," Sirius exclaimed. "Blimey, I think that Muggle Ministry might be better ours. At least they make an effort to prove that someone really did do a crime before they haul you off to prison."

**Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.**

**Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry's turn for an elbow in the ribs; he'd let out an audible gasp.**

**Mr. Lucius Malfoy **

"Oh, not him!"

"What's he doing there?"

These were only some of the cries from around the room at those words.

**strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.**

**"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"**

**"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"**

**"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your — er — d'you call this a house?" **

"And he wonders why no one likes him," Sirius growled. Just another family member that he loathed.

**said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."**

**"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.**

**"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension — you'll find all twelve signatures on it. **

"WHAT?" everyone except the Headmaster yelled out.

"They can't suspend Dumbledore! He's the only reason why there are still Muggle-borns that are walking about!" Tonks cried in disbelief.

Albus chuckled and gave them all a thankful smile, "Well, thank you. But I believe that everything work out for the best in the end. I believe that I left the school in safe hands." Yes, he didn't think that the school could have been safer with Harry and Ron there to take care of everyone.

"How did the school survive without you there?" Remus asked in a stunned tone. "They might've just closed the school that night."

"Leave it to Malfoy to take a bad situation and make it even worse!" Sirius said bitterly. "Its times like this that make me wonder how on earth I can be related to people like them. But what I want to know is how on earth Malfoy got all twelve governs to sign?"

"Bribery?" Tonks offered helpfully.

"He threatened them all is my bet," Arthur spat.

"Both sound reasonable to me," Sirius stated.

**I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."**

**"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended — no, no — last thing we want just now."**

"For once, Fudge has got some brains," Arthur growled. "Even he knew that Dumbledore going was a bad thing at such a bad time! Wonder when that changed."

**"The appointment — or suspension — of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks —"**

**"See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"**

"A miracle?" Tonks offered up. "I mean, what else could solve this?"

"I think that they need one now more than ever," Remus said solemnly.

"Or just Harry and his friends," Albus smiled, earning a few smiles, even from Sirius around the room.

**"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted —"**

**Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.**

**"An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.**

"You tell him Hagrid!" Tonks and Sirius cheered.

"It's hard to say for sure, but I would guess that he would have had to threaten at least eleven of them," Arthur declared to everyone. "Everyone but himself that is."

**"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."**

**"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killins' next!"**

"Don't get his hopes up to high, Hagrid," Arthur said scathingly. "That's what he's hoping for."

"He's got a good point," Sirius said as he looked to the Headmaster, "Don't tell me that you actually left without a fight!"

Albus shrugged. "I had no choice. If the governs called for my suspension then I had to step aside. But I didn't leave the school completely unprotected if you are worried."

**"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.**

**"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside —"**

**"But —" stuttered Fudge.**

**"No!" growled Hagrid.**

**Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold gray ones.**

**"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me… Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."**

"You're as cryptic as always," Sirius groaned, Albus merely chuckled at the confused look on everyone's faces.

**For a second, Harry was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered toward the corner where he and Ron were hidden.**

"Do you mean to tell me that you knew that they were there?" Severus asked him accusingly.

Albus merely smiled at him with his eyes twinkling.

**"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your — er — highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope your successor will manage to prevent any — ah — killins."**

**He strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right. That's all I'm sayin'."**

"No tact whatsoever, but it's easy enough to understand," Albus said fondly of Hagrid.

"Spiders?" Molly repeated cautiously as Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Remember those spiders that were running away?" Remus reminded them, "The day that they first went into Myrtle's bathroom and after Harry found Justin and Nick?"

"You think that they're involved with this somehow?" Tonks asked him.

"They must be," he answered. "Otherwise Hagrid wouldn't have told them what to do."

Sirius turned to Molly and Arthur and asked, "But isn't Ron afraid of spiders?"

They both nodded, fearing what was going to happen in the next chapter. They heard that the boys went into the forest… they could only hope that it went without too much trouble.

Sirius laughed. "Oh, I bet that he's going to love that," he said sarcastically.

**Fudge stared at him in amazement.**

**"All right, I'm comin', said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."**

**The door banged shut and Ron pulled off the Invisibility Cloak.**

**"We're in trouble now," Ron said hoarsely. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."**

"I'll have to agree with that," Severus said to himself. With Dumbledore gone, everything was worse and there was more fear in the air in the castle. At least with him around, the students felt a little more at ease.

Albus laughed quietly, "Well I am glad that there wasn't an attack a day while I was gone."

"But were there any more attacks?" Tonks asked concerned.

"No," he assured her. "The attack on Hermione and Miss. Clearwater was the last."

"But," Minerva said unhappily, hating that she would have to burst their bubbles, "Things didn't get any better while you were gone."

**Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.**

"That's the end," Tonks said, looking relieved that the chapter was over.

"Great," Sirius said. "So now Dumbledore and Hagrid are gone, the heir of Slytherin's on the loose, there's a monster attacking everyone, and things are now only going to get worse."

"How on earth would it get any…?" Remus began.

"Don't ask," Sirius interrupted quickly. "It always does get worse when you ask that."

"So who wants to read next?" Tonks asked as she put the book on the table. "I counted, there are only four more chapters to go. I think that we should finish either late tonight or early tomorrow if we don't stop for breaks."

"I guess…" Arthur said,. "I'll read. I want to get this over with as well."

Tonks, only to happy to be able to hand the book over, tossed it to him before rubbing her tired eyes. Arthur turned to the next chapter and read out in a slightly shaky voice, "**Chapter 15: Aragog."**


	18. Aragog

**(Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling! I own nothing)**

**Chapter 15: Aragog**

Tonks, only to happy to be able to hand the book over, tossed it to him before rubbing her tired eyes. Arthur turned to the next chapter and read out in a slightly shaky voice, "**Chapter 15: Aragog**."

"Ara-what?" Sirius asked confused.

"It just says… Aragog," Arthur repeated uncertainly.

"Who's Aragog?" Sirius asked them as if he thought that he already knew. "What kind of word is that?"

"It sounds like a name to me," Remus told him reasonably.

"What kind of person names their kid Aragog?"

But before they could discuss the matter further, they heard the sounds of Sirius's mother starting up again, and they knew that someone had just arrived. Molly jumped up and, clearly wanting something to do, went to get it. A few minutes of impatient waiting later, they heard Molly call up to them, "It's ok! Mad-Eye and Kingsley are finally back!"

"'Bout time," Tonks said. "I like Mad-Eye's commits the best. And poor Kingsley missed practically the whole book."

They heard the familiar _clunk, clunk, clunk_ of Moody's wooden leg going up the flights of stairs as they heard Kingsley and Molly talking to each other. And just like that, they piled into the room in no time at all.

Kingsley sighed as he looked around rather sheepishly and said, "Sorry for taking so long. But Fudge hasn't let me out of his sight all day and I couldn't sneak away without looking suspicious."

"So I went and got him," Mad-Eye explained as he sat down in his favorite armchair. "The Ministry knows better than to question me when I ask for someone. I filled him in on everything I heard on our way here. Did we miss anything important?"

"Hermione's been attacked while you were gone," Tonks sniffled. "She had figured something out about this mystery and went to the library… and well…"

Everything took less than five minutes to explain and Moody looked horrified when they mentioned Harry writing in the diary. "You mean to tell me that Potter wrote in the diary just like that? I had high hopes for him."

"He was only twelve," Sirius said defensively. "Give him a break. And besides, in the book they don't have it anymore. Whoever was behind the attacks must've stolen it back."

"But only a Gryffindor could've done it," Kingsley said uncertainly. "How else could they know the password to get into the tower?"

"There are only three more chapters," Arthur informed them. "Not including this chapter."

"And I am certain that they will be enlightening for all of us," Albus said as he laced his fingers together, wanting to know what happens—but also anxious of what he might hear. "So why don't we start up again? We all only have a limited time to be here."

"Speak for yourself," muttered Sirius to himself.

"But do you know who or what this Aragog is?" Tonks asked him.

Albus and Minerva shifted uncomfortably. "If Aragog is who I think he is…" Minerva said cautiously, "I don't think you want to know."

She shared a look with the Weasleys who look confused for a second before comprehension dawned on their faces and they were both looking horror-struck.

"What is it?" Sirius demanded, not liking where this was going. "What's wrong?"

Rather than answer him, Arthur started off.

**Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Harry; no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horribly wrong.**

"How on earth could things have gotten any worse?" Molly asked scared. The castle was already full of scared students, a monster was hunting them all and they didn't know who was doing it… how could it get worse?

"Believe me," Severus rumbled. "It did. With the Headmaster gone everyone was sure that they were about to be attacked around every corner."

**Harry and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.**

"Why?" Tonks demanded angrily. "If the ones attacked could hear their friend's voices then you think that it would've helped comfort them! And if not them, then at least their friends who want to see them."

**"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…"**

"I can understand that," Remus said calmly, "But I really don't see the point. I'm sure that Voldemort already thought that they were out of the way for good."

"Did the victims remember anything at all when they woke up?" Moody asked McGonagall curiously.

"Yes and no," she answered truthfully. "They couldn't remember being attacked, it happened so quickly you see. But they said that while they were laying in the Hospital Wing, there were times when they thought that they could hear voices around them. At least, that's what they claimed. Most of the time they said that it was like they were asleep."

"Scary," Tonks whispered as Molly nodded.

**With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, **

"I see," Arthur said to himself before looking up at the old Headmaster. "Without you there, I would imagine that all the teachers were worried as well."

Minerva and Severus didn't answer him, but they didn't have to. Everyone could see the worry in their eyes and it told them all just how bad things were—which made them all feel—if possible worse.

"Can't say that I'm surprised," Kingsley said in that deep voice that just seemed to soothe everyone.

**so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.**

They all thought about that. The Hogwarts that they all knew and loved was anything but that. Hogwarts was supposed to be a place full of magic and wonder… not fear and anxiety.

"That doesn't sound like Hogwarts at all," Molly said sounding close to tears.

"It wasn't," Minerva sighed unhappily. "In fact, I would've welcomed some pranks if it could cheer the students up just a little bit."

"That should be enough proof that things were bad," Severus said grimly. "I hadn't had a decent night's sleep with all the guard duty that we were forced to do."

"True, but this is nothing compared to what Umbridge is up to these days," Albus said sadly, and everyone felt their hatred for the woman grow.

**Harry constantly repeated Dumbledore's final words to himself, "I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me.** **Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." But what good were these words? Who exactly were they supposed to ask for help, when everyone was just as confused and scared as they were?**

"You'll understand when the time is right, Harry," murmured Albus so quietly that no one heard him.

"What on earth were you trying to say to them?" demanded Sirius looking exasperated.

Albus only smiled and said, "I merely meant to say that you can always find help no matter where you are if you only ask."

"Then why didn't you say that before?" Tonks asked grumpily. "Would've been easier to understand."

**Hagrid's hint about the spiders was far easier to understand. The trouble was, there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the castle to follow. **

"Just their luck," Kingsley said shaking his head. It seemed as though there was someone out to get them with everything that was happening to them.

**Harry looked everywhere he went, helped (rather reluctantly) by Ron. They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other Gryffindors. Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers,** **but Harry found it very irksome.**

"I think that he would be more concerned about his own safety than looking for spiders," Molly said rather hotly. Sirius nodded fiercely in agreement.

"But this is their only thing to go on," Kingsley explained calmly. "They were at a dead end and couldn't think of what else to do."

"They shouldn't have been doing anything in the first place," Minerva said, red in her cheeks from unspoken anger.

**One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy **

"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius grumbled darkly.

**was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy. **

"Of course he would," Sirius growled. "The kids a cruel, arrogant, sadistic…"

"You're really in no position to criticize others on being cruel, arrogant and…" Severus began with his usual lip curl.

"You shut up!" Sirius shouted, "You can't tell me that you're approving this behavior?!"

"And you approve of all the trouble that your godson gets into?" Severus asked. "Something that he learned no doubt from you?"

"First of all," Tonks said interrupting the both before it got nasty, "This was still a year before he met Sirius, and Harry only brakes the rules for a good reason!"

Sirius gave her a grateful smile and was about finish saying something to Snape when Arthur, sensing danger, went on before anyone else could say anything.

**Harry didn't realize what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy, Harry overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. **

"Why can't he just do everyone else a favor and shut up?" Tonks scoffed. "Having your daddy fighting all your battles for you isn't something to boast about."

"Why not?" Sirius asked bitterly. "He doesn't care who hears him because he thinks he's so much better than anyone else."

**"I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now.**

"Well if that's how he feels," snarled Arthur, "Then I hate to see his idea of a _decent_ Headmaster is."

"I would guess someone who would love nothing more than to torture the students instead of teaching them," Minerva hissed.

"We already have someone like that, unfortunately," sighed Dumbledore, thinking of Umbridge and her medieval teaching methods. He pictured her like a giant pink spider that needs to be in control all the time. And when she wasn't, that's when she becomes dangerous.

But then Remus spoke up, interrupting his thoughts, "You're the best Headmaster that Hogwarts ever had, sir," he said. It was true… he was so grateful that Dumbledore had found a way to let him to come to school despite his… condition. He believed in giving people a chance, allows all kinds of people to come so long as they can do magic. That's what sets him apart from others.

Albus blushed. "Thank you Remus," he said. "I can't tell you how much that means to me."

**Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in…"**

"As corrupted the world is and especially at the Ministry these days," Kingsley said disapprovingly, "I doubt that they would really allow a Headmaster or Headmistress to let half the school be attacked by a monster."

"Don't be so sure," Sirius growled fiercely. "Pay someone whose good friends with the Malfoy's enough money and maybe."

**Snape swept past Harry, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron.**

**"Sir," said Malfoy loudly. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"**

"If I were a student," Sirius said in horror, "I would drop out of Hogwarts the day that you become Headmaster."

Severus barred his teeth at him. "Watch it, Black… who knows… it might just happen."

No one, except for Dumbledore, was disturbed by that thought. Sirius was already making plans to get Harry out of there should this git ever become Headmaster—though now that he thought of it, there was no way that was going to happen. Why worry about it?

**"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."**

**"Yeah, right," said Malfoy, smirking. "I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job— I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir —"**

"Yeah, right," Sirius muttered into Remus's ears. "If he's the best teacher that Hogwarts has to offer, then I would really start to questions if it's worth sending my kids there."

Remus smiled at him, "Glad to see that you haven't lost your sense of humor, Padfoot."

He grinned, "Like I'm going to give that up. It's the only thing that's been keeping me going."

**Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, **

"And you say that Harry has a big head?" Sirius demanded rhetorically. "I think someone needs to look in a mirror."

"Why should I?" Severus demanded. "The prime example of arrogant is sitting right across from me!"

**fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron.**

"I don't blame him," Sirius said conversationally.

Snape narrowed his eyes, knowing that he was going to give Finnigan a detention when he got back to the school. Albus however chuckled, it was good to hear that there had still been a least some humor when he was gone that year.

**"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger —"**

Everyone in the room glared at the book, Molly looked as though steam was about to pour out of her ears. This was unheard of! How could any child wish for someone else's death? A classmate no less?! What kind of example where their parents setting to actually allow this?

"I can't believe that he could say that without any remorse," Tonks said upset.

"What do you expect from scum like him?" Sirius asked her. "Anyone with the name of Malfoy is rotten to the core. Trust me… I know better than anyone."

"But still," she said fighting tears. "He's my cousin…"

They all stared at her, startled. How on earth could they have forgotten that Tonks and Draco were indeed cousins?

Tonks looked ready to cry, until Remus reached over and took her hand. "It's ok," he assured her. "Just because you two are related doesn't mean that you have anything to do with them. I mean look at Sirius, he knows which side he's on, and anything that they do doesn't involve him at all."

"Yes, but," Tonks whispered. "I can't help but feel like I'm responsible for Hermione and the others being attacked. I don't know why, but all this happening, and the Malfoy's are acting like they're behind it all… if they are… then," a few stray tears fell down her heart-shaped face. "I mean… they are my family and it's my fault if they…"

"The Malfoys are pathetic and sick excuses for family," Sirius yelled out standing up and giving her a piercing look. "Anyone who doesn't share the same crazy beliefs that they do is no longer family to them. So really, as far as they're concerned, we aren't related to them at all; which suits me just find."

"And besides," Remus went on smiling, "Even if they are behind these attacks, which I doubt, you had nothing to do with any of it. It's not your fault"

Albus shifted awkwardly, if this was how Tonks felt when Draco talked about it… he hated to see how she'll take it when she learns who Dobby's former master was.

She sniffled once but nodded, looking a little happier as most of the others smiled reassuring at her before Arthur went on.

**The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed.**

"Lucky for him," Severus sneered disappointed. "I would've had to give him detention for that."

"Why not give Malfoy a detention for once?" Sirius demanded.

"I'm afraid that I couldn't do much to stop him from talking, Black," Severus said as though he was talking with someone who was dense, "But fighting, on the other hand, is against the rules."

Sirius's eyes narrowed in distaste. His hatred for Snape was growing each time that he read about him. Just one jinx, he was inching to reach for his wand and curse him…

**"Let me at him," Ron growled as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands —"**

"As much as Malfoy deserves it," Moody said taking out his hip flask, "I don't think the boy has it in him to kill anyone yet."

"Why do you sound almost disappointed?" Molly claimed in outrage.

"I'm just making an observation."

**"Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology," barked Snape over the class's heads, and off they marched, with Harry, Ron, and Dean bringing up the rear, Ron still trying to get loose. **

"I wish that they let him go," Sirius sighed sadly. "Punching his stupid face would've been worth points from Gryffindor any day of the week."

**It was only safe to let go of him when Snape had seen them out of the castle and they were making their way across the vegetable patch toward the greenhouses.**

**The Herbology class was very subdued; there were now two missing from their number, Justin and Hermione.**

They weren't alone. Everyone in the room also felt subdued as well, wondering just how scared the students, and not just the Muggle-borns, must've been at the thought of being attacked or might never see your friends awake again.

Molly was nearly in tears just by that one line.

**Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. Harry went to tip an armful of withered stalks onto the compost heap and found himself face-to-face with Ernie Macmillan. **

"Oh, great," growled Sirius again. "What does the pompous git want?"

**Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Harry, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. **

"Finally!" Tonks exclaimed, "It sure took him long enough!"

"Yeah," said Arthur frowning, "Only took him most of the year…"

"The idiot should have realized this sooner," Sirius said angrily. "One of Harry's best friends is a Muggle-born. Why would he be attacking Muggle-borns if he is best friends with one?"

**We're all in the same boat now, and, well —"He held out a pudgy hand, and Harry shook it.**

Severus felt his jaw drop, "Potter is forgiving him just like that?!"

Albus smiled proudly, "Harry is one the most forgiving people that I've ever known, Severus. Not everyone can hold onto a grudge as you can."

**Ernie and his friend Hannah came to work at the same Shrivelfig as Harry and Ron.**

**"That Draco Malfoy character," said Ernie, breaking off dead twigs, "he seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think he might be Slytherin's heir."**

"You mean to tell me that it took him this long to think up Malfoy?" Moody said incredulously before shaking his head. "He's a little behind the times. That's something that Potter, Weasley, and Granger thought of months ago."

"He definitely wouldn't make a good Auror," Tonks said wisely.

**"That's clever of you," said Ron, who didn't seem to have forgiven Ernie as readily as Harry.**

"You think that it would be the other way round," Kingsley said lightly. "After all, it was Harry that they were talking about."

"Harry forgives people when he feels they deserve it," Albus smiled. "Ron holds grudges just a little bit longer. But I don't think that his grudge against Mr. Macmillan should last too long."

**"Do you think it's Malfoy, Harry?" Ernie asked.**

**"No," said Harry, so firmly that Ernie and Hannah stared.**

"I would've loved to see the looks on their faces," Sirius grinned. "They must've thought that Harry, of all people, would've thought that it was him."

"More proof that they wouldn't do well in the Auror department," Moody said taking a long sip of someone unknown liquid from his flask.

**A second later, Harry spotted something.**

**Several large spiders were scuttling over the ground on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting. **

"I'm starting to think that this Aragog is a spider, not a person," Kingsley said thoughtfully. "But… what's the point of talking to a spider? They can't talk, so I don't see why…"

Remus's eyes widened and he choked.

Sirius thumped him on the back, "What's wrong?" he asked him.

"A-A-Acromantulas can talk," he reminded him as he coughed. "Remember the memory that the diary showed Harry? Hagrid had a giant pet spider…"

Sirius felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. No… this was too much, he didn't want his godson or any of the students, well except Malfoy, to meet an Acromantula. He heard Molly whimper, "Why is it always them?"

He had to agree. Really, why did this always seem to happen to these three?

**Harry hit Ron over the hand with his pruning shears.**

**"Ouch! What're you —"**

**Harry pointed out the spiders, following their progress with his eyes screwed up against the sun.**

**"Oh, yeah," said Ron, trying, and failing, to look pleased. "But we can't follow them now —"**

"Don't follow them at all!" Molly cried out, not knowing why she bothered. She knew that it had already happened, but this was taking a toll on her nerves and she didn't know how much more she could take.

At those words, Severus shot Albus a look and said harshly, "This means that they'll try to sneak out again!"

Albus just gave him amused look at Severus's weak attempt to try and hold onto his hatred of Harry, "So they sneak out, twice this year. Only to help their friends and to get to the bottom of this mystery."

"I can't believe that you approve of this!" Minerva and Molly both shouted.

"They could've been killed that night!" Molly finished.

"You mean to tell me that they did follow the spiders and meet an Acromantula?" Remus gasped in horror.

"What happened?" Sirius yelled out, staring at them all.

Mad-Eye had finished a particularly long sip and smacked his lips, "This should be an interesting chapter to say the least."

"Interesting?" Tonks called out. "If you think that it's interesting then it must be bad!"

**Ernie and Hannah were listening curiously.**

"They probably thought that they were talking crazy," Tonks replied.

"Or that they knew more than anyone else of what was going on," added Minerva.

"They always do," Albus said knowingly.

"And whose fault is that I wonder," Molly snapped, with a glare at Dumbledore.

"I just hope that those two didn't hear too much of what was being said," Moody said. "Really they have a lot of potential, but they still have a lot to learn."

**Harry's eyes narrowed as he focused on the spiders. If they pursued their fixed course, there could be no doubt about where they would end up.**

**"Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…"**

"Oh, no," groaned Sirius.

"Why are you worried?" Severus asked surprised. "I thought that you would've been glad to see that Potter is following the footsteps of his felon for a godfather."

"I could transform in those days, Snape," he growled back, sounding much more like Padfoot. "I could take care of myself and had others with me that I could rely on if we got into trouble. We're talking about two twelve year old kids, one who didn't even have a decent wand, who didn't know anything about the forest so that they could talk to some giant ugly spiders that could kill them!"

That shut Snape up…

**And Ron looked even unhappier about that.**

"Oh, that's right," Remus said in surprise. "Ron's never been in the forest before."

"To bad that changes," Arthur sighed with a hard look on his face.

**At the end of the lesson Professor Sprout escorted the class to their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Harry and Ron lagged behind the others so they could talk out of earshot.**

**"We'll have to use the Invisibility Cloak again," Harry told Ron. "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some help."**

**"Right," said Ron, who was twirling his wand nervously in his fingers. "Er — aren't there — aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?" he added as they took their usual places at the back of Lockhart's classroom.**

"What's with all the theories of werewolves in the forest?" demanded Sirius with a sideways glance at Remus. "There aren't any in there! Well, at least not anymore."

"It's ok," Remus smiled. "It must've taken a lot of courage for them to walk into that forest at night to follow the spiders who-knows-where. I don't blame them for being afraid."

"That," Moody said, "And I think that Weasley was just trying to find a way to get out of going."

"Can you blame him?" Minerva asked.

**Preferring not to answer that question, Harry said, "There are good things in there, too. The centaurs are all right, and the unicorns…"**

**Ron had never been into the Forbidden Forest before. Harry had entered it only once and had hoped never to do so again.**

"Unlike his father and godfather," Remus muttered in an undertone to Sirius who grinned sheepishly, "Who, if I recall correctly, wanted to go in there every opportunity they get."

**Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the place was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant.**

**"Come now," he cried, beaming around him. "Why all these long faces?"**

Arthur stopped speaking, not sure if he read that sentence right.

"Ok," Sirius said slowly, "I know that he's dense as a brick, but come on… he can't be THAT dumb! Doesn't he realize what's been happening that year or has he been spending all his free time looking in a mirror?"

"Once Hagrid was taken away," Severus said coldly, "He was convinced that it was all over with and he started bragging even more if that was possible. Something about wishing he got a go at the monster before Hagrid was arrested I think?"

"If I recall correctly," Minerva said carefully with a small smile that surprised them all, "If I recall correctly, by the time that this happened—Lockhart will be gone less than a week."

That got their attention.

"Really?" Sirius asked, almost crying with happiness. "Lockhart left the school a week after this conversation?"

"If I'm guessing correctly," she said worriedly as she shared a scared look with Albus, who nodded. The Weasleys were both looking pale as they realized that it was less than seven days after this chat when they received the letter telling them that their only daughter was dead. That had to be hands-down the worst letter that they ever got from school.

**People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered.**

**"Don't you people realize," said Lockhart, speaking slowly, as though they were all a bit dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away —"**

"So he really thinks that it was Hagrid?!" Molly shouted.

"What else do you expect from an idiot?"

**"Says who?" said Dean Thomas loudly.**

**"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty," **

"That's where you're wrong," Tonks yelled out indigently and slamming her fist onto the table. "Fudge only took him on a hunch. He didn't have any other evidence."

"Take my word for it," Sirius said glumly. "The Ministry doesn't need evidence to imprison someone. It's what they do best."

"And later on they expect us to except their apologies and bail them out of their problems," Arthur said furious on Hagrid's behalf.

**said Lockhart, in the tone of someone explaining that one and one made two.**

"Isn't that how others speak to him?" Moody asked annoyed.

**"Oh, yes he would," said Ron, even more loudly than Dean.**

**"I flatter myself I know a touch more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr. Weasley," said Lockhart in a self-satisfied tone.**

"Really?" Albus said in mock surprise. "I had no idea that Lockhart was there as well. I wonder why I didn't see him."

"Good thing he really wasn't there," Arthur said. "I don't like hearing anymore about him than I have to."

"I would've loved to have seen Lockharts face if they told him that they were actually there," Mad-Eye said with a wicked grin. "That might knock him down a peg or two."

"But no one knows about that," Kingsley told him. "I don't think that they should get in trouble because of Lockhart."

"Besides, even if they weren't there, they would still know more about what happened than that git," Tonks said with a nod. "I mean, the only one who knows more about what's going on around Hogwarts is Dumbledore. They always seem to find everything out one way or another."

**Ron started to say that he didn't think so, somehow, but stopped in midsentence when Harry kicked him hard under the desk.**

**"We weren't there, remember?" Harry muttered.**

Severus looked like he was just denied a treat. Ok, so maybe the boy wasn't as arrogant and selfish as his father had been, but he was never going to agree with him if he could help it.

**But Lockhart's disgusting cheeriness, his hints that he had always thought Hagrid was no good,** **his confidence that the whole business was now at an end, irritated Harry so much that he yearned to throw Gadding with Ghouls right in Lockhart's stupid face. **

"He didn't?" Sirius cried in severe disappointment. "He's got a lot of restraint then. I would've cracked long ago."

"Sirius," Molly scolded, "Harry didn't need any more trouble."

"But Lockhart deserves it!"

"It wouldn't be a smart idea," Kingsley said slowly.

"Sure it might've been a dumb idea," Sirius agreed. "But think about it, being dumb's not illegal, it's just frowned upon."

They all cracked up at that.

**Instead he contented himself with scrawling a note to Ron: Let's do it read the message, swallowed hard, and looked sideways at the empty seat usually filled by Hermione. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he nodded.**

"Now that is the mark of a true friend," Remus smiled. "Friends who are willing to risk their worst fears just for a chance to help you."

Albus smiled. He knew that, While each member of this threesome can hold their own by themselves, what makes the three of them truly strong is their teamwork. When one of them is incapable of doing a task, one of the other two can help out in their place instead.

These books can show you just how committed they are to each other, to the point where they are willing to give up what is important to them, such as their lives, and even their dreams, for each other. If one single member of their team is hurt (whether physically or emotionally), the other two will become enraged and take drastic action to protect them.

Truly amazing…

**The Gryffindor common room was always very crowded these days, because from six o'clock onward the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go.**

**They also had plenty to talk about, with the result that the common room often didn't empty until past went to get the Invisibility Cloak out of his trunk right after dinner, and spent the evening sitting on it, waiting for the room to clear. Fred and George challenged Harry and Ron to a few games of Exploding Snap, and Ginny sat watching them, very subdued in Hermione's usual chair. Harry and Ron kept losing on purpose, trying to finish the games quickly, but even so, it was well past midnight when Fred, George, and Ginny finally went to bed.**

"That would be annoying," Sirius nodded, remembering how difficult it had been whenever the Marauders tried to sneak out, only to see that someone was in the room. He smirked, that personally was usually Lily, making sure they behaved themselves.

**Harry and Ron waited for the distant sounds of two dormitory doors closing before seizing the cloak, throwing it over themselves, and climbing through the portrait hole.**

**It was another difficult journey through the castle**

"That doesn't surprise me," Remus stated. It's hard enough to sneak around even when the halls are empty.

**dodging all the teachers. At last they reached the entrance hall, slid back the lock on the oak front doors, squeezed between them, trying to stop any creaking, and stepped out into the moonlit grounds.**

"How in the world did they make it through without being noticed?" Minerva cried in amazement. "All this lying and sneaking around…"

"They will make for except spies someday," Moody said grinning. "But they need a little work on the lying part."

"You will not be teaching my son to get into trouble," Molly warned him.

He shrugged. "They don't need my help. They're perfectly able to get into trouble without me."

**"'Course," said Ron abruptly as they strode across the black grass, "we might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but…"**

"Yeah," Sirius laughed. "And I'll eat Buckbeak."

**His voice trailed away hopefully.**

**They reached Hagrid's house, sad and sorry-looking with its blank windows.** **When Harry pushed the door open, Fang went mad with joy at the sight of them. **

"Aww," Tonks cooed. "Poor thing. He must've been so lonely there by himself."

**Worried he might wake everyone at the castle with his deep, booming barks, they hastily fed him treacle fudge from a tin on the mantelpiece, which glued his teeth together.**

Moody laughed. "I should try that. Remind me to write to Hagrid and ask for some of his fudge. I know a few people I could give some to."

"Or Lockhart?" Remus offered. "Maybe they should've scent some to him, disguised as chocolate from a fan?"

"Ha!" Sirius laughed. "Moony, I miss when you put your mind to mischief."

**Harry left the Invisibility Cloak on Hagrid's table. There would be no need for it in the pitch-dark forest.**

**"C'mon, Fang, we're going for a walk," said Harry, patting his leg, and Fang bounded happily out of the house behind them, dashed to the edge of the forest, and lifted his leg against a large sycamore tree.**

"Ok, I really didn't need to hear that," Minerva said, wrinkling her nose. These books were a little too descriptive sometimes.

"Hey, if you've gotta go, you gotta go," Tonks laughed.

**Harry took out his wand, murmured, "Lumos!" and a tiny light appeared at the end of it, just enough to let them watch the path for signs of spiders.**

**"Good thinking," said Ron. "I'd light mine, too, but you know — it'd probably blow up or something…"**

"So, he finally learns his lesson," Mad-Eye asked.

"About time," Severus sneered.

**Harry tapped Ron on the shoulder, pointing at the grass. Two solitary spiders were hurrying away from the wandlight into the shade of the trees.**

**"Okay," Ron sighed as though resigned to the worst, "I'm ready. Let's go."**

They all unconsciously leaned in closer.

**So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, they entered the forest. By the glow of Harry's wand, they followed the steady trickle of spiders moving along the path. They walked behind them for about twenty minutes,** **not speaking, listening hard for noises other than breaking twigs and rustling leaves. Then, when the trees had become thicker than ever, so that the stars overhead were no longer visible, and Harry's wand shone alone in the sea of dark, they saw their spider guides leaving the path.**

"Didn't Hagrid say last year not to leave the path?" remembered Minerva suddenly. She heard a few whimpers of concern from some of the other people in the room, but she didn't bother looking at them, her whole attention on the book.

**Harry paused, trying to see where the spiders were going, but everything outside his little sphere of light was pitch-black. He had never been this deep into the forest before. He could vividly remember Hagrid advising him not to leave the forest path last time he'd been in here. But Hagrid was miles away now, probably sitting in a cell in Azkaban, and he had also said to follow the spiders.**

"So what are they going to do?" asked Kingsley.

"I say that they take the shortest route out of there!" Molly yelled out, surprising Sirius because he was about to suggest that.

**Something wet touched Harry's hand and he jumped backward, crushing Ron's foot, **

They all tense up…

**but it was only Fang's nose.**

They all released a sigh of relief. These books were taking more of a toll on their nerves than they first thought.

**"What d'you reckon?" Harry said to Ron, whose eyes he could just make out, reflecting the light from his wand.**

**"We've come this far," said Ron.**

**So they followed the darting shadows of the spiders into the trees. They couldn't move very quickly now; there were tree roots and stumps in their way, barely visible in the near blackness. Harry could feel Fang's hot breath on his hand. More than once, they had to stop, so that Harry could crouch down and find the spiders in the wandlight.**

"This is messed up," Tonks groaned. "I mean I want them to find out some more answers, but I want them to get out of there to. Come on, they're only kids. I would never have had the guts to do this when I was twelve."

"You can never start too young for experience," Mad-Eye declared.

"Experience…?" Molly muttered bitterly under her breath.

**They walked for what seemed like at least half an hour, their robes snagging on low-slung branches and brambles. After a while, they noticed that the ground seemed to be sloping downward, though the trees were as thick as ever.**

**Then Fang suddenly let loose a great, echoing bark, making both Harry and Ron jump out of their skins.**

"Now what?!" Molly cries out in a panic.

"Please, tell me that they don't get hurt," Remus groaned, the images of monsters, giant spiders, attacking the two boys were filling his mind.

Even Severus and Mad-Eye were looking concerned by this point.

**"What?" said Ron loudly, looking around into the pitch-dark, and gripping Harry's elbow very hard.**

**"There's something moving over there," Harry breathed. "Listen… sounds like something big…"**

"That can't be good," whimpered Minerva.

"What is it?" Moody asked getting both excited and concerned.

**They listened. Some distance to their right, the something big was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.**

**"Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh —"**

**"Shut up," said Harry frantically. "It'll hear you."**

**"Hear me?" said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"**

They were all freezing up in silent terror—what on earth was it?

**The darkness seemed to be pressing on their eyeballs as they stood, terrified, waiting. There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.**

**"What d'you think it's doing?" said Harry.**

**"Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron.**

"I really wish that he didn't just say that," moaned Arthur.

**They waited, shivering, hardly daring to move.**

**"D'you think it's gone?" Harry whispered.**

"Please say yes," groaned Sirius. Please, please, please… please let them make it out of there unscathed.

**"Dunno —"**

**Then, to their right, came a sudden blaze of light, so bright in the darkness that both of them flung up their hands to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried to run, but got lodged in a tangle of thorns and yelped even louder.**

**"Harry!" Ron shouted, his voice breaking with relief "Harry, it's our car!"**

Everyone in the room all cried out, "WHAT?!"

"Did he just say car?!" screamed Molly.

"You mean MY CAR?" shouted Arthur in astonishment.

"What else could they mean?" affirmed Remus. "It must be the same one."

"That's an interest plot twist," Albus said with a smile. "I wonder just what happened to it while it's been in the forest."

**"What?"**

**"Come on!"**

**Harry blundered after Ron toward the light, stumbling and tripping, and a moment later they had emerged into a clearing. Weasley's car was standing, empty, in the middle of a circle of thick trees under a roof of dense branches, its headlights ablaze. As Ron walked, open-mouthed, toward it, it moved slowly toward him, exactly like a large, turquoise dog greeting its owner.**

"That sounds cute in a weird way," said Tonks, now wishing that she could see it.

"Arthur," Molly said turning her darkest glare on her husband who seemed to be too stunned to say anything, "Just what did you DO to that car?!"

**"It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly, walking around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild…"**

"How can a car turn wild?" asked Kingsley interested.

"How is it possible?"

"Don't forget what the centaurs told us when they first went into the forest," Albus said slowly. "_'The forest hides many secrets.'_ Some even beyond my understanding. But I recall that your car seemed to have a mind of its own after they crashed into the willow."

"ARTHUR! JUST WHAT DID YOU DO?!" screamed Molly.

He could only shrug in a helpless sort of way. "I don't know how it happened. I honestly don't know."

"Makes me wonder," Sirius said smiling unexpectedly that caused them all to worry. "You think that if we set a toaster or something in the forest for a few weeks, it'll try to bite off your hand if you put the bread in?"

"I think that you've been in this house to long," Minerva said worried for his sanity.

**The sides of the car were scratched and smeared with mud. Apparently it had taken to trundling around the forest on its own. Fang didn't seem at all keen on it; he kept close to Harry, who could feel him quivering. His breathing slowing down again, Harry stuffed his wand back into his robes.**

"Don't put your wand away boy!" barked Moody so suddenly that they all jumped. "Yes, the boy definitely needs some training! Never put your wand away in unfamiliar territory! How many times do I have to say it? CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"OK! You don't need to yell it! We aren't deaf you know!"

**"And we thought it was going to attack us!" said Ron, leaning against the car and patting it. "I wondered where it had gone!"**

**Harry squinted around on the floodlit ground for signs of more spiders, but they had all scuttled away from the glare of the headlights.**

**"We've lost the trail," he said. **

"Good, so now they can leave," Minerva sighed.

"But then they would've gone all that way for nothing!" Sirius said to her in surprise.

"Whose side are you on, Black?!"

**"C'mon, let's go and find them."**

**Ron didn't speak. He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on a point some ten feet above the forest floor, right behind Harry. His face was livid with terror. **

"There can only be one thing that can make him look like that," Arthur said slowly, as Molly looked panic-stricken in understanding.

"Spiders," she whispered terrified for her son and for Harry. "And they must be _huge_."

"An Acromantula," Sirius groaned. "How on earth did they get out of this?"

**Harry didn't even have time to turn around. There was a loud clicking noise and suddenly he felt something long and hairy seize him around the middle and lift him off the ground, **

"WHAT?" Everyone screeched in terror.

"NO!" Sirius and Remus both shouted out in panic. Arthur went on even faster, wanting to know what happened.

**so that he was hanging facedown. Struggling, terrified, he heard more clicking, and saw Ron's legs leave the ground, too, heard Fang whimpering and howling — next moment, he was being swept away into the dark trees.**

**Head hanging, Harry saw that what had hold of him was marching on six immensely long, hairy legs, the front two clutching him tightly below a pair of shining black pincers.**

"That would scare me to death," Tonks whispered. She would've probably passed out cold if that happened to her when she was twelve.

**Behind him, he could hear another of the creatures, no doubt carrying Ron. They were moving into the very heart of the forest. **

Molly was sobbing, the only thing that kept her from having a nervous breakdown was the fact that her husband's hand was intertwined with hers. They both looked at each other and seemed to be gathering courage from their faces; she nodded as he went on.

**Harry could hear Fang fighting to free himself from a third monster, whining loudly, but Harry couldn't have yelled even if he had wanted to; he seemed to have left his voice back with the car in the never knew how long he was in the creature's clutches; he only knew that the darkness suddenly lifted enough for him to see that the leaf-strewn ground was now swarming with spiders. Craning his neck sideways, he realized that they had reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly onto the worst scene he had ever laid eyes on.**

At that moment, Sirius was mentally cursing Hagrid for sending him into the forest.

"If they get out of this on their own," Moody said with his eyebrows raised, "I will be thoroughly impressed."

"Aren't you even the slightest bit worried?" Tonks yelled at him.

"Nope," he answered. "After all, we know that they made it out alive."

"That doesn't mean that they make it out unharmed!"

**Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. **

Molly was almost in tears now, anyone sane would've been scared to death at such a sight, and here, two boys were in the middle of a living nightmare.

**The massive specimen that was carrying Harry made its way down the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very center of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of its fell to the ground on all fours as the spider released him. Ron and Fang thudded down next to him. Fang wasn't howling anymore, but cowering silently on the spot. Ron looked exactly like Harry felt. His mouth was stretched wide in a kind of silent scream and his eyes were popping.**

"Poor thing," Molly cried. "He must've been petrified."

"That takes a lot of courage to face that thing," Albus said, though he too was worried. Harry and Ron had neglected to tell him about this when they told him when they walked into the forest.

**Harry suddenly realized that the spider that had dropped him was saying something. It had been hard to tell, because he clicked his pincers with every word he spoke.**

**"Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"**

"Oh, great!" Remus said in shock. "Aragog isn't just an Acromantula, but it's also their leader! There is no way that this can be good!"

"But then again," Kingsley said half-heartedly, "Aragog must be a friend of Hagrid's so it might let them go."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up," Mad-Eye stated.

**And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. There was gray in the black of his body and legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white. He was blind.**

"Oh, I don't fancy being those two right now," Severus said with a smirk, but there was some worry in his black eyes.

**"What is it?" he said, clicking his pincers rapidly.**

**"Men," clicked the spider who had caught Harry.**

**"Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer, his eight milky eyes wandering vaguely.**

**"Strangers," clicked the spider who had brought Ron.**

**"Kill them,"**

"What?!" Sirius and Molly both shouted, to scared to realize that they were thinking the same thing.

"Oh, please," Tonks begged the boys in the book. "Get out of there before they do kill you!"

**clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping…"**

**"We're friends of Hagrid's," Harry shouted. His heart seemed to have left his chest to pound in his throat.**

"Oh, that boy has got some real guts trying to reason with Acromantulas," Moody said impressed.

Molly was twitching violently at all the mental images; no matter what Hagrid did or thought, she would never forgive him for sending her boys to a giant man eating spider. She was sure to send a Howler to him after this chapter.

**Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all around the hollow.**

**Aragog paused.**

**"Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before," he said slowly.**

"I don't blame him," Kingsley spoke with reason.

"And it's Harry and Ron's luck that they get to be the first ones," Minerva said in a much higher voice than usual.

Albus bit his lower lip, "Oh, Hagrid… what did you do?" he whispered softly, fearing what might've happened.

**"Hagrid's in trouble," said Harry, breathing very fast. "That's why we've come."**

**"In trouble?" said the aged spider, and Harry thought he heard concern beneath the clicking pincers. "But why has he sent you?"**

"Because he trusted you enough not to hurt a couple kids and was sure that you let them go after you give them the information that they need," Sirius begged.

"Oh, I hope the spiders know that!"

**Harry thought of getting to his feet but decided against it; he didn't think his legs would support him. So he spoke from the ground, as calmly as he could.**

**"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a — a — something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban."**

**Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn't usually make Harry feel sick with fear.**

**"But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully. **

'_Only Hagrid could get an Acromantula to be worried for a human,'_ Albus thought in amazement as he shook his head.

**"Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."**

"So…?" Tonks asked as if making sure that she heard right, "Aragog didn't come from the Chamber?"

"Obviously," Severus said rolling his eyes as she glared at him.

**"And you… you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" said Harry, who could feel cold sweat on his forehead.**

**"I!" said Aragog, clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. **

"Never thought I see the day that I would be agreeing with a giant taking spider," Sirius said as most of the others nodded in agreement.

"I have to agree with him on that," Kingsley said a little uncomfortably.

**When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. **

"And look what happened," Tonks said grumpily as she folded her arms across her chest.

_'Looking just like a little kid,' _thought Remus thoughtfully, but then shook his head as she went on to say, "He protected a monster and he lost everything, including his chance to learn magic."

"But he wouldn't be Hagrid without that," Remus said and her expression lightened slightly.

**I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness…"**

"Oh, this is great!" Remus called out sarcastically. "Thank you, Hagrid! Just what we needed! More Acromantulas roaming around!"

"Why would Hagrid want to help make more spiders?" Minerva cried out in incredulity. "I thought that one was bad enough!"

"This is just how Hagrid thinks," Albus said closing his eyes, "He thinks about his friends well-being, not about what it might mean for others later on. By making Aragog happy he didn't really think how it could negatively affect anyone else. Remember, he thinks that they are fascinating and misunderstood creatures, Acromantulas…"

"Fascinating and misunderstood?" repeated Molly in a high-pitch voice. "Believe me, I don't think anyone misunderstands them at all!"

**Harry summoned what remained of his courage.**

**"So you never — never attacked anyone?"**

**"Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. **

"In a bathroom?" Tonks asked curiously. That was an interesting place to die.

"Well, there goes my theory," Moody said sounding disappointed.

"What theory?" Albus asked curious.

"All the staring eyes references?" Mad-Eye elaborated. "The staring eye clues can't refer to Aragog—since he's not only isn't from the Chamber, but his eyes can't stare. Now, either Hogwarts bathrooms are highly lethal, or we have a real good idea who died last time. The trouble is, if it wasn't Aragog, we still don't know what killed her."

"We know who died?" Tonks asked before her own eyes widened. "You mean Moaning Myrtle?"

"For someone so talented," Moody said frustrated, "You sure can be dense sometimes. Of course I'm talking about that sobbing ghost!"

"So you think that she was the victim fifty years ago?" Remus asked. "That sounds like it could be possible…"

"Oh, it is," Albus said sadly. "In fact, I know so. I taught her myself fifty years ago. She was a fourth year Ravenclaw before her untimely death. She was teased and bullied the entire time she had been going to Hogwarts, and after she was killed, she came back as a ghost so I was able to ask her who or what it was that had killed her…"

"Did she tell you?" Sirius asked quickly.

Albus shook his head. "I tried, and tried, but she refused to answer me."

"Typical," Sirius groaned. "Well, if Harry and Ron ever figure out that she's the last victim, maybe they'll have better luck than you did."

"I doubt it," Severus said rolling his eyes.

"You are just determine for them to fail aren't you?!" Sirius yelled at him, deeply infuriated now. If he didn't know better, he would've thought that Snape wanted the Chamber opened all the time.

**I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet…"**

**"But then… Do you know what did kill that girl?" said Harry. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again —"His words were drowned by a loud outbreak of clicking and the rustling of many long legs shifting angrily; large black shapes shifted all around him.**

"Harry," Sirius groaned, "Please don't make them angry."

**"The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog, "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."**

**"What is it?" said Harry urgently.**

**More loud clicking, more rustling; the spiders seemed to be closing in.**

**"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! **

"Something that can terrify an Acromentula?" Tonks asked with a shudder.

"Then it must be bad," Sirius said slowly. He didn't want Harry or anyone else, save for Malfoy, anywhere near that monster.

**I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."**

**Harry didn't want to press the subject, not with the spiders pressing closer on all sides. **

"Yes," Molly said in relief. "You got all you needed to know from them, so just go. Just thank the spiders, and then back up slowly."

"Why do I have a feeling that it won't be that easy?" Kingsley asked.

"Oh, don't you dare…" Molly said, her lip trembling.

**Aragog seemed to be tired of talking. He was backing slowly into his domed web, but his fellow spiders continued to inch slowly toward Harry and Ron.**

**"We'll just go, then," Harry called desperately to Aragog, hearing leaves rustling behind him.**

"**Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not…"**

"Why not?" whimpered Molly as Minerva had gone very green.

**"But — but —"**

**"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."**

"If that's how they treat Hagrid's friends," Moody said with his eyebrows raised. "I want to see how they treat his enemies."

"Will you please stop sounding like you're having a good time?!" Sirius yelled in panic. "God, how on earth did they get out of this alive?"

**Harry spun around. Feet away, towering above him, was a solid wall of spiders, clicking, their many eyes gleaming in their ugly black as he reached for his wand, Harry knew it was no good, there were too many of them, but as he tried to stand, ready to die fighting, **

Sirius twitched horribly, remembering that was how Lily and James had died… the thought that Harry wasn't going without a fight filled his heart with both pride and sadness. Of all the people on this good earth—why did his godson have to be the one to suffer like this for so long?

"Thatta boy," Moody grinned. "I like the way this kid thinks. I think that we should forget about the whole age thing and bring these kids into the Order. God, knows that we need the help, and from the sounds of things they can deal with a lot more than we gave them credit for."

"They're too…" began Molly.

"They're young," Moody said sipping from his flask again. "But they sure dealt with more than all the students in the school put together. And this was only when they were only second-years remember. I say, let them in. I think that they could teach us all a thing or two."

"Alastor," Albus began sternly, "I know that you were one of the few who suggested that…"

Moody just waved his hand at him in annoyance. "I've said it before, Dumbledore," he complained. "You're too protective of your students. Especially, when it comes to Potter. Honestly, why don't you just come right out and tell the boy about the prophecy? You said so yourself that you know the whole thing word for word. He's going to find out that it exists sooner or later and I think that he would rather hear the whole thing from you than a stretched version of it from someone else."

"I thought that I already made this clear," Albus said, the twinkle from his eyes gone, his voice steely, "I will tell Harry myself when he is ready."

"When _who_ is ready?" Moody asked as he took another long sip. "Potter? Or you?"

Albus stared at him long and hard. Was his old friend right? Was he, Albus Dumbledore, afraid to tell a teenage boy the truth? Was that why he was waiting so long to tell Harry? He didn't want to think of this right now. He had a plan… he had thought of it years ago it would go the way that he had envisioned it… he just had to be careful not to fall into the flaw that he had foreseen. No, he was only doing this to try to spare Harry any pain that he might feel otherwise. If he had come right out and told Harry that day in the Hospital Wing when he was only eleven… Harry would've had that knowledge hanging over his head all this time.

No, he will tell him when he feels that Harry is ready… and, though he didn't want to think of it like that, when he was ready to tell him.

"I'm sure that we can talk about this all later," Sirius said, glaring at Moody and Dumbledore. "But I want to know how the boys made it out of this mess."

Arthur was reading ahead of them all and, to their astonishment, he was smiling. "What happens?" Tonks asked as a smile spread over her face.

**a loud, long note sounded, and a blaze of light flamed through the hollow.** **Mr. Weasley's car was thundering down the slope, **

Stunned silence for a brief second. Molly cried out in joy so glad that the boys had been dumb enough to fly the old car there. And then she said something that made all their mouths fall open, "You know? I take back what I said earlier. I never thought I would say it, but I am so glad that they flew the car to school."

"I second that," Sirius said in bewilderment. "I don't know who to thank. The car, Dobby for sealing the barrier, or you Arthur for enchanting it."

**headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spiders aside; several were thrown onto their backs, their endless legs waving in the air. The car screeched to a halt in front of Harry and Ron and the doors flew open.**

"Get in and then get the hell out of there!" Sirius yelled out.

**"Get Fang!" Harry yelled, diving into the front seat; Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car the doors slammed shut Ron didn't touch the accelerator but the car didn't need him; the engine roared and they were off, hitting more spiders. **

"Hope it ran over some!" Tonks cheered, this was getting good! And the book wasn't even over yet? She couldn't wait to see how everything ended.

**They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously knew.**

"Ironic, don't you think?" Kingsley said calmly. "That everything that happened that year was building up to this? The car, the Mandrakes, and everything else?"

"Looks like I was wrong," Sirius spoke as he leaned his head on the back of his chair. "Or halfway anyway. Harry has luck that goes both way. He's incredibly lucky when it comes to getting out of danger, but he's got terrible luck that gets him into it in the first place."

"I couldn't agree more with you," Minerva said as she had a hand over her heart. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Ah," Sirius laughed, "You can take it. You're a tough old bird."

She raised her eyebrows at him as he just smiled innocently back at her, and to his astonishment, a slight smile played on her thin mouth.

**Harry looked sideways at Ron. His mouth was still open in the silent scream, but his eyes weren't popping anymore.**

**"Are you okay?"**

**Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak.**

"I can't say that I blame him," Arthur said shaking his head. "I'm sure that this only added to his fear of spiders."

"You know, they say that you have to face your worse fears to get over them," Albus stated, with a chuckle. "But I don't think that that counts here."

"My poor baby," Molly groaned, wanting to hug her youngest son more than anything else right now.

**They smashed their way through the undergrowth, Fang howling loudly in the back seat, and Harry saw the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large oak. After ten noisy, rocky minutes, the trees thinned, and Harry could again see patches of sky.**

"Thank goodness," Minerva sighed in relief.

**The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly thrown into the windshield. They had reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in his anxiety to get out, and when Harry opened the door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs. **

"Oh, poor Fang," smiled Tonks. "I think that almost being eaten was not his idea of a walk."

**Harry got out too, and after a minute or so, Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his limbs and followed, still stiff-necked and staring. Harry gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared from view.**

"If it were me," Tonks said with a laugh. "I would've kissed that car and said thank you over and over again." She looked to Dumbledore and asked, "You think that it's still there?"

Albus laughed brightly, "I would say most likely. I must ask Hagrid if he has ever seen tire tracks in the forest."

**Harry went back into Hagrid's cabin to get the Invisibility Cloak. Fang was trembling under a blanket in his basket. When Harry got outside again, he found Ron being violent sick in the pumpkin patch.**

"I don't blame him," said Remus. "I would've done the same if I was in his place.

**"Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."**

"Yes you are," Molly said through gritted teeth. "Remind me to have a long talk with Hagrid about all this! Who would send a couple kids right into an Acromantula's lair?"

"I'm sure that he didn't mean for something like this would happen," Remus said, though he too looked angry at the danger that the boys were in. "I think that he just wanted to let them know that he never had anything to do with the Chamber of Secrets being opened."

"Then why didn't he tell them before he was taken away?!" Sirius demanded furiously. "There was a little bit of time when they went to see him before Dumbledore and Fudge came to get him."

"I think that he thought that Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," Albus told him.

"And that's always been Hagrid's problem!" Tonks yelled out. "His monster fascination has always been getting him in trouble!"

**"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Harry.**

"Oh, great," Moody said rolling his magical eye. "Potter sounds like you now Dumbledore."

Albus couldn't help but smile at that, taking that as a compliment at being compared to Harry.

**"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" **

"Remind me to kill Hagrid later," Sirius growled.

"You know it wasn't completely his fault," Severus smirked. "If there's anyone you should be angry with, it was Potter and Weasley for going in there in the first place."

"I never said that it was Hagrid's fault," Sirius growled at him. "I said that I was blaming him. And they only went into the forest because he told them. Don't you dare make them out to be the bad guys here."

**He was shivering uncontrollably now. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?"**

**"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," said Harry, throwing the cloak over Ron and prodding him in the arm to make him walk. "He was innocent."**

**Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasn't his idea of being innocent.**

"I can't disagree with you on that one," Tonks muttered.

**As the castle loomed nearer Harry twitched the cloak to make sure their feet were hidden, then pushed the creaking front doors ajar. They walked carefully back across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase, holding their breath as they passed corridors where watchful sentries were walking. At last they reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room, where the fire had burned itself into glowing ash. They took off the cloak and climbed the winding stair to their dormitory.**

"They're finally safe," Molly sighed.

"I wouldn't say that," Mad-Eye said. "You forget that there's a monster on the loose and they don't know what it is."

"Oh, thank you for ruining my good mood!"

"Just telling it like it is!"

"I think we could take lessons from them on sneaking around," Sirius said impressed. "They snuck out of the castle, into the forest to talk with some killer Acromantulas, and snuck back in without anyone noticing. They are good."

**Ron fell onto his bed without bothering to get undressed. Harry, however, didn't feel very sleepy. He sat on the edge of his fourposter, thinking hard about everything Aragog had said.**

**The creature that was lurking somewhere in the castle, he thought, sounded like a sort of monster Voldemort **

"So in other words," Tonks said slowly, "It's a You-Know-_What_."

"This makes no sense," Remus said to himself. He had been wondering about what the monster could be ever since he first heard that there was a monster in the Chamber. His first thought was of a Basilisk… it would make sense because it's a snake and that would explain why Harry would be able to understand it, but that would mean that the beast would've been huge.

Basilisks were known to grow up to fifty feet long and he couldn't figure out why no one would've seen a giant snake slithering around. And besides, a Basilisk would've killed, not petrify its victims. So what was the monster and how was it being controlled… and most importantly, who was controlling it?

**even other monsters didn't want to name it. But he and Ron were no closer to finding out what it was, or how it petrified its victims. Even Hagrid had never known what was in the Chamber of Secrets.**

"That doesn't make any sense," Sirius said. "You'd think Aragog would have told him at least, even if he was afraid."

"No," Remus disagreed. "I think I know why. Aragog was terrified of whatever it was and he wouldn't want Hagrid to have any information that could possibly get him into even more trouble. So many people had been hurt already, and I think that Aragog was probably just trying to protect Hagrid."

"Well, that's strangely…" Tonks began scathingly. "Kind of him."

**Harry swung his legs up onto his bed and leaned back against his pillows, watching the moon glinting at him through the tower window.**

**He couldn't see what else they could do. They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. There was nobody else to ask. Harry lay down, still thinking about what Aragog had said.**

"Good boy," Moody said nodding. "Go over all the facts, and I'm sure that the answer will come."

**He was becoming drowsy when what seemed like their very last hope occurred to him, and he suddenly sat bolt upright.**

"What did he think of?" Tonks asked interested.

"He's connecting the dots," Mad-Eye grinned.

**"Ron," he hissed through the dark, "Ron —"**

**Ron woke with a yelp like Fang's, stared wildly around, and saw Harry.**

**"Ron — that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom," said Harry, ignoring Neville's snuffling snores from the corner. "What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"**

"This does makes sense!" Remus said excitedly. "In the bathroom and all, how many people could have died in a bathroom at Hogwarts?"

"So basically," Sirius said slowly, "The answer was right under their noses the whole time? Typical!"

**Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight. And then he understood, too.**

**"You don't think — not Moaning Myrtle?"**

"Finally," Moody said clapping his hands together. "It took them awhile, but they got there in the end."

"I can't believe that you're supporting them!" Minerva snapped; but then she thought it over and said, "On second thought, no I can believe it. But really, they shouldn't be putting themselves through all this."

"That's the end of another chapter," Arthur said, closing the book and staring at the cover, he knew what was coming very soon. "I have to say that this was the worst chapter yet."

"I can't disagree with you on that," Sirius sighed. "Thank God that there's only three chapters left."

"Great," Arthur said, in a faulty winning voice as he held the book out. He did not want to be the one who read what came next. "I finished my turn. So who's going to read?"

"Mad-Eye's the only one who hasn't read yet," Tonks said with a smirk to her mentor who gave her a nasty look and he looked slightly let down when she didn't flinch.

"Come on, Mad-Eye," Tonks whined. "We've all read. Heck, even Snape's read one."

"Hey, that's a great idea," Sirius said smirking. "Snape? You want to read next?"

Severus looked like he rather be tortured than agree to that.

"Severus?" Albus asked him with a smile, "I'm sure that reading one chapter won't kill you."

"How do you know?" he snapped back coldly.

"We've all read our fair share, Severus," Remus said gently. "And let's not forget that you already read one without anything bad happening to you."

"Yes," he hissed. "And I said that I wouldn't read anymore." Truthfully, he was very interested in what was going to happen next. He heard rumors of what Potter had done—nothing more than that, and he was itching to learn the real story to how Lily's son had made it out alive. Not that he would ever say that to them.

"Why not make, Moody?" he demanded.

"'Cause I don't want to, Snape," he barked.

"I'll make sure that you read at least one chapter before we reach the last book," Tonks muttered to Mad-Eye who glowered at her.

"Good luck is all I can say," he answered grumpily.

"I'll read," Kingsley said unexpectedly. "I haven't had a chance and I missed so much already."

Severus was looking relieved though others were looking a little disappointed. But they didn't say anything as Arthur handed the book over to Kinsley. He smiled as he finally opened it and read out loud to the room—who had all gone white as sheets at the words "**Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets**."


	19. The Chamber of Secrets

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets**

Severus was looking relieved though others were looking a little disappointed. But they didn't say anything as Arthur handed the book over to Kinsley. He smiled as he finally opened it and read out loud to the room—who had all gone white as sheets at the words "**Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets**."

No one dared to say a word, not even Kingsley, who was supposed to be reading. They all were having a difficult time letting those four little words sink in.

"Did you just say the Chamber of Secrets?" repeated Remus softy after a few minutes, turning as pale as Moaning Myrtle.

Kingsley looked up at him in astonishment and nodded slowly, "That's what… it says."

"You mean to tell me that they actually go into the Chamber?" Sirius yelled out looking like he was about to faint. If would've been funny if they weren't all sick with worry. "But they don't even know where it is or what's inside it! That's reckless…"

"And that means a lot coming from you," Tonks whispered to him.

"Which just proves how dangerous it is!" he howled back, having to put his head in his hands to try to stop himself from being sick.

"Why would they feel the need to go into the Chamber though?" Moody asked, sounding like he was impressed against his will. "I'll admit that they have more backbone then the entire Ministry of Magic put together…"

"Just keep reading," Arthur whispered as he held his wife close to him, who was looking like she was about to cry. "I'm sure that we're going to finally get some answers here."

Kingsley went on, his deep voice actually helping to soothe them all though only slightly.

**"All those times we were in that bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly at breakfast next day, "and we could've asked her, and now…"**

"It was right underneath their noses this whole time," Tonks sighed shaking her head. "Just typical isn't it? I mean, it's just like when they were looking for Nicolas Flamel's name on that Chocolate Frog card."

"Just their luck," Kingsley muttered. But at least they got the answer in the end.

**It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders. Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, was going to be almost impossible.**

"Well I wouldn't worry too much," Albus said with a trace of a smile. "Those three certainly have a talent for pulling off the impossible."

No one, not even Snape, could disagree with that line. Yes, those three certainly have a gift for making the impossible all too possible. How they did it time and time again, was anyone's guess.

**But something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration, that drove the Chamber of Secrets out of their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.**

Sirius and Tonks both groaned.

"Exams?" Tonks couldn't help but ask the teachers. "Really?"

**"Exams?" howled Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting exams?"**

"Exactly!" Sirius cried out. "Who expects exams with all this hell happening?"

"The only reason that Hogwarts was still open at the time was so that the students could receive an education!" Minerva said to him very sternly. "Of course they were still getting exams!"

"How can you expect them to study when they're scared that they could've been attacked at any second?" he demanded.

**There was a loud bang behind Harry as Neville Longbottom's wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs on his desk. Professor McGonagall restored it with a wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning, to Seamus.**

**"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. **

"You need to come up with a few new speeches, professor," grinned Tonks brightly while the others chuckled.

Minerva just glared at her without any real heat, finding it hard not to smile.

**"The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."**

"I would be shocked if anyone's bothering to study for exams," Moody exclaimed.

"Yes, everyone's studying hard while Slytherin's monster is slithering around looking for tasty Muggle-borns," Sirius said sarcastically. "Come on, how the bloody hell did any of you expect any of the students to concentrate on their work with all this?"

"Alright, that's enough Sirius," Albus said calmly. "If we keep going on about exams, then we'll never find out why this chapter is called the _Chamber of Secrets_."

Molly sniffled. She hadn't said a thing so far, fighting back a sob of what she might be hearing in this chapter.

**Studying hard! It had never occurred to Harry that there would be exams with the castle in this state.**

_'Yes, Harry,'_ thought Sirius eagerly. _'Use your logic! They can't expect you to handle the exams right now!'_

**There was a great deal of mutinous muttering around the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowl even more darkly.**

**"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible, she said. "And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."**

**Harry looked down at the pair of white rabbits he was supposed to be turning into slippers. What had he learned so far this year? He couldn't seem to think of anything that would be useful in an exam.**

"Well," Tonks said starting to count off things on her fingers. "They learned that flying the car to school was a good idea, that Harry can talk to snakes, that there are snakes that can petrify students, Mandrakes can bring them back to normal, how to make Polyjuice potion, where the Slytherin common room is, what happens at a Deathday party, not to use a broken wand, how to deal with giant talking spiders that live in the forest… wow, they learned a lot this year."

"I can see that all of that will be much more useful in real life instead of sitting at a desk and writing essays or answering stupid questions," nodded Moody.

"Will you both be quiet, please?!" Molly snapped, her nerves stretched to the breaking point at the news that she was dreading on hearing the most. "I need to know what happens!"

They both blinked at her, taken aback. "Ok," Tonks said with her hands raised up. "You don't need to bit off our heads."

Remus on the other hand was sharing a startled look with Kingsley, before they looked at the two Weasleys—who were both looking upset and miserable like they were at a funeral.

_'Was someone taken into the Chamber?'_ thought Remus, remembering that this was the chapter where they find out where the Chamber was. _'And maybe Harry and Ron went down there to save them? Wouldn't surprise me if they did, but how could they do that when they don't know what kind of creature is lurking down there? How can they find so much information in just one chapter? Besides, they're just kids… they couldn't actually have… could they?'_

**Ron looked as though he'd just been told he had to go and live in the Forbidden Forest.**

**"Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" he asked Harry, holding up his wand, which had just started whistling loudly.**

**Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.**

"Great," spat Sirius looking at the walls in disgust. "More bad news…"

**"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.**

Sirius's sulky mood vanished in a flash, as everyone else leaned in, wanting to hear some good news for a change.

**"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.**

**"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.**

**"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Wood excitedly.**

"That kid's got a one-track mind," Minerva sighed exasperated. "Really, what on earth could make him think that?"

"There's nothing wrong with Quidditch," Sirius told her, "I'm sure that it would've brightened the mood around the caste. I think that he's got the right idea."

"You think so huh?" she asked him darkly. "If I recall correctly, Wood once told me that he didn't care if Potter was thrown off his broom as long as he caught the Snitch first."

Sirius was looking murderous, wanting to pay this 'Wood' a visit, but Remus held up his hands. "We keep interrupting Kingsley. We won't know what happens until next week at this rate."

Sirius looked like he wanted to keep going aruging, but he bit his tongue and forced himself to keep listening.

**When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."**

They all sighed with relief. Finally, this awful year was almost over.

"I bet you all that Hermione'll have all the answers!" Sirius said happily. He was ecstatic that this might mean that Harry won't be setting a foot inside that chamber. Maybe Harry wouldn't have been put in danger at all, and if the teachers did their jobs for once, everything was going to be settled.

**There was an explosion of cheering. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't at all surprised to see that Draco Malfoy hadn't joined in. Ron, however, was looking happier than he'd looked in days.**

**"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" he said to Harry. "Hermione'll probably have all the answers when they wake her up! **

"Yeah," Tonks cheered. "She'll be able to fill us all in on what's going on!"

**Mind you, she'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied. It might be kinder to leave her where she is till they're over."**

Some of them couldn't help but laugh. It just might've been nicer to her to leave her like that until the exams were over. She would flip out if she knew… but then again, she would've been devastated if she found out that she missed them. So that might not have been the best idea.

**Just then, Ginny Weasley came over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous, and Harry noticed that her hands were twisting in her lap.**

**"What's up?" said Ron, helping himself to more porridge.**

**Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face that reminded Harry of someone, though he couldn't think who.**

**"Spit it out," said Ron, watching her.**

"Tactless as always," Arthur said but it was with a fond smile.

**Harry suddenly realized who Ginny looked like. She was rocking backward and forward slightly in her chair, exactly like Dobby did when he was teetering on the edge of revealing forbidden information.**

Arthur's face had gone very white. So this must've been it, this must've been the part when Ginny tried to tell someone what was happening to her… but then, why didn't she tell them when she had the chance right here?

**"I've got to tell you something," Ginny mumbled, carefully not looking at Harry.**

**"What is it?" said Harry.**

**Ginny looked as though she couldn't find the right words.**

"Not that that's surprising," Tonks commented. "She never could talk with Harry around."

**"What?" said Ron.**

**Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Harry leaned forward and spoke quietly, so that only Ginny and Ron could hear him.**

**"Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?"**

**Ginny drew a deep breath and, at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and wan.**

"Classic… the big brother turned up at the worst possible time," Remus said a little worriedly. What did Ginny have to tell them that she was so scared of? But then his memory went back to what Arthur said… _'he did it to save my daughter…'_

Did that mean that Ginny knew something about the Chamber and was in danger? Did Harry go and deal with the person responsible for all this to protect Ginny? That sounded like something that James would've done… Sirius on the other hand was fuming about Percy.

"Damn it, she was about to tell them something and then that git had to turn up!" Sirius cried out annoyed.

"That pompous prat!" Tonks agreed.

Molly glared at them both with very red eyes—unshed tears about Ginny and Percy.

"I'm sorry, Molly," Tonks told her, "But he had the worst timing. What if she had important information about the Chamber of Secrets? She might've been able to tell them something to help them solve this mystery."

"I know," she whispered, sounding close to bawling now. "I know what she was about to tell them."

That got their attention. "What was it?" Moody asked her.

Molly's lips trembled and she just shook her head, "I can't say it. It's too horrible."

She gasped for breath, fighting against her sobs, and then Arthur wrapped his arm around her and just held her closely.

"What do you all know that we don't?" Tonks said exasperated as she looked to Dumbledore, who was looking just as pale as the two parents in the room.

Kingsley could tell that no one wanted to talk about it, so he just kept going, hoping that they would get their answers soon.

**"If you've finished eating, I'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving, I've only just come off patrol duty."**

"Of course make it all about yourself," Sirius hissed under his breath in frustration.

**Ginny jumped up as though her chair had just been electrified, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and scampered away. Percy sat down and grabbed a mug from the center of the table.**

**"Percy!" said Ron angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important!"**

_'Yeah, thanks a lot,'_ Sirius thought bitterly.

**Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked.**

**"What sort of thing?" he said, coughing.**

**"I just asked her if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say…"**

**"Oh — that — that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets," said Percy at once.**

**"How do you know?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.**

**"Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on me the other day when I was — well, never mind — the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I did think she'd keep her word. It's nothing, really, I'd just rather —"**

Mad-Eye was chuckling darkly.

"What now?" Kingsley asked him calmly just as Albus said at the same time, "Something funny, Alastor?"

Moody just gave them all one of his lop-sided grins. "A mystery always involves personalities as well as motives, and these two Weasleys are intriguing ones." He examined his staff lightly before continuing. "Along with the being rigid with rules and a control freak, the third Weasley boy is quick to judge without all the facts, and clearly thinks the world revolves around his head. Not a real pleasant guy. Then there's your daughter," he said to the parents who were looking horrified at what Moody was saying about their son. "She obviously doesn't trust her brother any more than the trio does."

Molly and Arthur shared a startled look. They always knew that… but to hear it spoken… just where did they go wrong with Percy?

**Harry had never seen Percy look so uncomfortable.**

**"What were you doing, Percy?" said Ron, grinning. "Go on, tell us, we won't laugh."**

**Percy didn't smile back.**

"Oh, this should be good," Tonks smirked. If Percy thought that it was embarrassing, then it has to be juicy.

**"Pass me those rolls, Harry, I'm starving."**

**Harry knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without their help, but he wasn't about to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up — and to his delight it did, midmorning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart.**

"Oh, good," Sirius smirked. "If there's one teacher out there who will let the slip away, it's Lockhart. Maybe that idiot's good for something after all."

"I still wish that they would tell someone about what they know," Minerva said in a surprisingly soft tone.

**Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now wholeheartedly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the corridors. His hair wasn't as sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth floor.**

**"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor Petrified people's mouths will be 'It was Hagrid.'**

"Can't he shut up?" Minerva snapped as Albus's eyes started to burn with anger. "He's been wrong about absolutely everything this year, what on earth makes him think that he's right now?"

**Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."**

**"I agree, sir," said Harry, making Ron drop his books in surprise.**

Albus, Moody, Sirius, Kingsley, and Remus all smiled at what Harry was planning; but Minerva, Tonks, Severus, and Molly's jaws all dropped.

"He agrees with him?" Tonks gasped in horror.

"But…"

"What's going on?"

"I thought that he had enough sense to…"

"Relax," Sirius said laughing. "He knows what he's doing."

"What are you talking about?!" Molly demanded.

"He's trying to trick Lockhart into letting them leave," Remus said, also laughing. "Clever. Just flatter him and he'll let you do anything you want."

Their shocked and dumbfounded faces quickly turned into amusement, they all loved it when Lockhart made a fool of himself. And being tricked by a couple kids was definitely one of them.

**"Thank you, Harry," said Lockhart graciously while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…"**

"What good's a teacher if all the students have been killed?" screeched out Molly furiously.

**"That's right," said Ron, catching on. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go —"**

**"You know, Weasley, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare my next class —"**

Most looked furious. He was supposed to protect the students. And if he lost sleep by chaperoning them to class then that was just too bad. Even if he was useless with a wand, the monster would at least go after him while the kids all escaped.

**And he hurried off.**

**"Prepare his class," Ron sneered after him. "Gone to curl his hair, more like."**

"That's what I would've guessed," Severus groaned, remembering just how often the idiot came to him and asked him for some potions that would naturally curl his hair.

**They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme.**

**"Potter! Weasley! What are you doing?"**

**It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.**

"It had to be you to catch them!" said Sirius sulkily.

"It could've been worse," Tonks said with a shrug. "At least it wasn't the monster… or worse… Snape."

Sirius roared with laughter as Severus glared at Tonks who smiled back at him brightly. "You need to learn to get a sense of humor," she told him. He just continued to look like he wanted to slip her some poison, at least until Kingsley spoke to Minerva.

"Oh, come on professor!" Kingsley said to her a little childish. "They could stumble on some vital information and they keep getting interrupted!"

"I wish they came out and told me what they knew," Minerva said, sounding a little disappointed that some of her favorites didn't trust her enough to tell her about all this.

"Can you blame them?" Mad-Eye asked her. "You wouldn't even hear them out last year when they tried to warn you about the Stone."

She turned red and looked to the floor in embarrassment; Albus reached over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "They were young," he told her kindly. "They wanted to get all the answers before they would come to us."

**"We were — we were —" Ron stammered. "We were going to — to go and see —"**

**"Hermione," said Harry. Ron and Professor McGonagall both looked at him.**

Minerva was outraged when she realized that she had been tricked. How dare they use their friend like that!

**"We haven't seen her for ages, Professor," Harry went on hurriedly, treading on Ron's foot, "and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry —"**

"That's brilliant," said Sirius in awe. "That's the best lie I've ever heard."

"Black!" Minerva shouted at him. She was sure to have a word with Potter when she got back to the… but then her eyes widened in horror. She realized that this was the very last time that she saw Harry before he went down into the Chamber. This was the night that it…

She looked over at Albus, who must've been thinking along the same lines. His eyes had lost their twinkle and his face was overshadowed with pain. She knew that nothing pained Albus more then when something happened to the students. She turned her attention back to the book. She would forgive Potter this time.

**Professor McGonagall was still staring at him, and for a moment, Harry thought she was going to explode, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.**

**"Of course," she said, and Harry, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye.**

Sirius was staring from the book to Minerva and back again. He had tried and tried to get Minerva to buy some of his own excuses and lies when he was at school, and she never once believed any of them. But now his godson goes and, not only does she believe him, Harry got her to show that she actually had a heart in there somewhere. He had never been more proud than at that second.

**"Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been… I quite understand. Yes, Potter, of course you may visit Miss Granger. **

"Wow," Tonks whispered. "I didn't think that you actually believe all that."

"Believe it or not," she said rather hotly. "I do care about the students, and I know that Hermione, Harry, and Ron are so close that I knew that when she was attacked, it would have been hard on them." She sat up a little straighter, "Although I'm furious that he tricked me like that, I'll let it go because of…"

She stopped there, not wanting to finish. But she realized that maybe if she didn't catch them, they might not have ever have gone to Hermione, then they might not have figured out what the monster was.

**I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."**

"Oh, Binns couldn't care less," Kingsley said with a yawn, "Most of my class would get up and leave half-way through and he wouldn't even notice."

"Did you ever sneak out?" Tonks asked curious.

He smiled at her, "Maybe once or twice…" he admitted. "But that was during O.W.L.'s and I knew that I could be doing much more important things with my time."

"Kingsley," Sirius smiled. "I never knew that you had it in you."

"It's a shame that we're stuck with a ghost," Moody spoke up, "You could at least find another teacher to take over for him when he retires if he was still alive."

**Harry and Ron walked away, hardly daring to believe that they'd avoided detention. **

"Wow, first Filch, and now McGonagall has let you go without a detention. This has got to be some sort of school record," Sirius said, wiping a fake tear away. "That's my boy."

"Don't encourage them, Sirius," Minerva scolding. He just grinned back at her, before shooting Molly a surprised look. He had expected her to tell him off as well, but she didn't look like she was paying the slightest bit of attention to him or anyone else. She was clinging to Arthur with a look of dread as if she knew what was about to happen—which he reminded himself, she probably did—but why was she acting like someone was about to di…

He felt as though his insides had froze. Is that what happened? Did someone die? He looked at Kingsley just in time for him to continue.

**As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.**

**"That," said Ron fervently, "was the best story you've ever come up with."**

**They had no choice now but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione.**

"So it wasn't a complete lie," Albus smiled at his Transfiguration professor. "They did go and see her in the end, which was a good thing."

"But still," she muttered back. "I would've preferred that they didn't lie to me."

"Not like you would've let them go to a girl's bathroom in the first place," Remus chuckled.

**Madam Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly.**

**"There's just no point talking to a Petrified person," she said, and they had to admit she had a point when they'd taken their seats next to Hermione. It was plain that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors, and that they might just as well tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it would do.**

"I still rather talk to one of my friends even if they were Petrified," Tonks muttered. "It's better than going to go to one of Binn's lessons."

"And you never know," Molly said sadly, "Maybe Hermione could hear them."

**"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know…"**

"That does sound like something that a Slytherin would do," Sirius growled angrily.

Severus glared at him and was about to give him a snappy retort when Remus asked, "I wonder if she figured everything out. I mean, she went running off to the library that day…"

"I just can't wait for her to wake up," Tonks muttered sadly. "Even if she didn't figure anything out, I just want her back. I mean the boys need her."

Everyone, except Snape of course, smiled warmly at her.

**But Harry wasn't looking at Hermione's face. He was more interested in her right hand. It lay clenched on top of her blankets, and bending closer, he saw that a piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist.**

Moody blinked in surprise. "A piece of paper?" he asked the teachers. "And how is it that no one found it before this? What? Did you just dump her in the hospital and left her there?"

Albus blushed in embarrassment, "I can not say," he admitted. "After she and Miss Clearwater were attacked, the students weren't allowed to visit. And we didn't pay too much attention."

"But you think you would've seen it when you were taking her up to the hospital in the first place!" Sirius said accusingly.

"I believe that we just missed it," Albus shrugged in a helpless sort of way.

"At least the boys found it now," Kingsley said before reading.

**Making sure that Madam Pomfrey was nowhere near, he pointed this out to Ron.**

**"Go on and get it out," Ron whispered, shifting his chair so that he blocked Harry from Madam Pomfrey's view.**

**It was no easy task. Hermione's hand was clamped so tightly around the paper that Harry was sure he was going to tear it. While Ron kept watch he tugged and twisted, and at last, after several tense minutes, the paper came free.**

**It was a page torn from a very old library book. **

"What?!" Sirius called out. "Hermione Granger the number 1 lover of books ripped a page out of a library book?!"

"Whatever it was, it must've been important," Remus muttered, leaning in, waiting for news.

**Harry smoothed it out eagerly and Ron leaned close to read it, too.**

**_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents._**

Those in the room who didn't know about this all gasped dramatically.

"The monster in the Chamber's a Basilisk?" Tonks cried out almost hysterically. "How the hell did you not notice a Basilisk roaming the castle? It's a miracle no one's died yet!"

Remus shook his head sadly at that. "You know, that's what I thought too," he said. "But the Basilisk doesn't petrify its victims, it kills them. And I thought for sure that Hermione had figured it out."

Sirius and Tonks both looked disappointed, they were so sure that Hermione was onto something. But Albus smiled and Minerva held her head proudly. Molly put her face in her handkerchief while Arthur pulled her even tighter to his side, so grateful that Harry and Hermione were their son's friends.

**_This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death._**

"See?" Remus said as Mad-Eye had a smiled spread across his face.

"Clever girl," he muttered approvingly.

"You're complimenting Hermione now?" Tonks asked him. "Wow, three people in one day. You must be impressed with them."

"Well, more impressed than those sorry excuses for Auror trainees at the Ministry," Moody said rolling his eyes, the magical one—coming to rest on her.

**_Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._**

"Wait!" Sirius shouted out almost immediately, "Didn't it say earlier that something killed all Hagrid's roosters?" he shared a started look with Remus and Tonks as Kingsley continued to stare at the words on the page. Remus nodded slowly, beginning to think that he had been wrong yet again…

"This has to be it!" Sirius called out excitedly. "The monster in the Chamber's a Basilisk! Slytherin's heir would be able to speak Parseltongue right? So that must be how he's able to control the snake!"

"And if Hagrid's roosters were all killed," replied Tonks slowly, "That means that someone didn't want to risk having one near the school!"

"And the spiders have been running to the forest since the first attack," Remus added just as slowly, none of them noticing the smiles on the others faces, "But this doesn't explain why the students are still alive!"

**"And beneath this, a single word had been written, in a hand Harry recognized as Hermione's. _Pipes._"**

"It's like she knew that she was about to be attacked and was determine to get the message to Harry and Ron," Arthur whispered in a stunned tone.

"So that's how it was getting around," Remus blurted out.

"Are the pipes really that big in Hogwarts?" Tonks asked to no one in particular.

"They must be," Remus told her excited. "Slytherin had to have made them that way. But if it kills people by looking them in the eye, how is it that no one's dead? Is there something wrong with its sight or…?"

"Because, Remus," Albus said still smiling widely, "None of the students did look it in the eye; well not directly at least."

Some of them looked confused except for Mad-Eye, Molly, Arthur, Minerva, and Severus who either already knew or figured it out on their own.

**It was as though somebody had just flicked a light on in his brain.**

**"Ron," he breathed. "This is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a basilisk — a giant serpent! That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue…"**

"Thank heavens he is!" Arthur cried out quickly. "Without that, Hermione never would've figured it out!"

"I've always thought that it doesn't matter what abilities you have," Mad-Eye stated, "As long as you can put them to good use!"

**Harry looked up at the beds around him.**

**"The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died — because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin… Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! **

"Of course!" Remus yelled out smacking himself in the face. He couldn't believe how stupid he was… "If a Basilisk's gaze is seen through another object it's power wouldn't be as strong!"

"And I thought that you were the smart one, Moony," Sirius said, actually beaming at the book for once.

**Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again… **

"Another good point!" Sirius cried out clapping his hands together. "They're on a roll!"

**and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror — and —"**

"Just when I think that I can't be any prouder," Sirius gasped. "He's a genius!"

"What do you expect from having Lily and James for parents?" Remus asked, grinning from ear to ear. Really, he had to learn to notice all the little details…

**Ron's jaw had dropped.**

"I don't blame him!" Kingsley stated amazed. "Harry is figuring all this out with that little piece of paper!"

**"And Mrs. Norris?" he whispered eagerly.**

"Oh, yeah," Tonks whispered. "Forgot about her."

"Lucky you," Sirius muttered.

**Harry thought hard, picturing the scene on the night of Halloween.**

**"The water…" he said slowly. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection…"**

"Harry has a really good mind to be able to put all that together," Albus smiled. "He figured it all out… with a little help from Miss Granger of course."

Mad-Eye smirked. "There we go. The staring eyes references? It was just leading all up to this moment. But that's beside the point." He looked to Dumbledore and asked, "Well, Dumbledore? Ready to let them into the Order? I think that they could help us out. I mean, they figured all this out on their own, while all of us didn't have a clue until they spelled it out for us."

Everyone else flushed a deep red, including Albus. He just shifted uncomfortably and said coldly, "I already told you, I'll tell Harry everything myself when he's ready, and it isn't now."

Moody sighed as he gave him a long piercing look. "Do what you want, old man. But I'm warning you… the outcome may not turn out well. Tell me, I'm sure that you know the reason why most mistakes are made, Dumbledore?"

"I have a few ideas, but how do you think most mistakes are made Alastor?" Albus asked, wondering what his old friend was going to say.

Moody just took out his flask and stared at it for a second before starting to drink again. Once he was done, he smacked his lips and said, "Most mistakes aren't made from not action… but from hasty, ill-thought out action."

"Your point, Alastor?" Albus asked politely, though he could see where he was going with this.

"Potter doesn't know anything about the prophecy," Moody said. "He doesn't know why it's important to study Occlumency and shutting out Voldemort… he's not taking the lessons seriously is he?"

He looked to Severus who shrugged, "Doesn't matter, I've been saying all along that Potter's hopeless when it comes to such a complicated art…"

"I'm sure that he would do much better without you breathing down his neck about it," Sirius growled.

"Shut up both of you," Moody barked, which caught their attention. They didn't say anything else, but they were both glaring at each other with hatred in their eyes. Moody looked bored of their childish tactics before looking back at Albus and said, "My point is, Potter isn't taking this seriously because he doesn't understand how important all this is."

"I had hoped that Harry would take these seriously but…" Albus started, and Moody actually started to laugh.

"How do you expect the boy to understand anything… if you refuse to tell him anything?" He asked him as he continued to laugh. He drained what was left of his flask before saying, "You know as well as I do what that boy is like, Dumbledore. He's reckless, rash… hot-headed even. He could end up playing right into Voldemort's trap someday because you're babying him. You know what your greatest problem is, Dumbledore? You are so attached to the idea that Potter's a young child that needs your protection that you're depriving him of key pieces of information that I think that he needs to know."

Albus's eyes narrowed at him. Moody obviously must've noticed because he asked, "What's wrong, Albus?" It was a sign of how serious that Mad-Eye was taking this because he never called anyone by their first name. "Did I hit a nerve?"

Albus didn't say a word to him. He did not want to rise to Moody's bait. Everyone was staring from him to Mad-Eye, fear in all of their eyes, like they thought that Albus was going to do something rash. Sirius was staring at Dumbledore as if he never saw him before. Was that all true? Did he really think that Harry needed his protection? Is that why he was so insistent on keeping Harry in the dark?

He couldn't deny that it was bugging him. That the idea that his old teacher seemed to be caring more for his godson than he was.

Albus just took a deep breath and said, "I'm afraid that your words don't affect me as much as you think they would, Alastor. I'm sure that we can talk about this some other time. Now," he glanced at Kingsley who was looking apprehensive, "Kingsley, please continue."

"Very well," Moody spoke, turning away looking irritated. "But just so we're clear… should something happen because Potter wasn't warned about it, it's not going to be his fault. I for one, know exactly who is to blame."

Moody turned away with it looking that his words didn't do a thing to Dumbledore at all—in truth however—those words had hurt. As much as Albus hated to admit it, even to himself… he knew that Alastor was right.

Kingsley went on, thought he continued to look up at the two every now and again, as if afraid that they would start attacking each other.

**He scanned the page in his hand eagerly. The more he looked at it, the more it made sense.**

**"… The crowing of the rooster… is fatal to it"! he read aloud. "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it! It all fits!"**

**"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" said Ron. "A giant snake… Someone would've seen…"**

"PIPES!" Tonks cried out gleefully, already forgetting about the argument. "Hermione figured it all out!"

**Harry, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.**

**"Pipes," he said. "Pipes… Ron, it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls…"**

**Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm.**

**"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in —"**

**"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," said Harry.**

"The entrance to Slytherin's hidden chamber is in a girl's bathroom?" Tonks repeated faintly. "I don't know if I should be impressed… or not."

"You got to hand it to Slytherin," Moody spoke gruffly. "He sure knew how to pick a place where no one would have a chance to ever find it."

"Except for every single girl that might go in there," Arthur said thoughtfully.

**They sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.**

Remus was especially shocked since they managed to turn everything he was so sure of and slapped him in the face. He thought for sure that it couldn't have been a Basilisk… but then he then felt the color leave his face. No, there is no way that Harry and Ron could've faced something like that… there was no way.

**"This means," said Harry, "I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one, too.**

"Or if they're being possessed by a snake," Arthur mumbled under his breath.

"What was that, Weasley?" asked Moody with his eye fixed on him. Arthur looked up, startled.

"N-nothing," he stammered, taking Molly's hand for reassurance. "Just thinking…"

**That's how he's been controlling the basilisk."**

**"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall?"**

**"Let's go to the staff room," said Harry, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break."**

Severus stared at the book as did Minerva's jaw dropped. "They were actually going to a teacher with what they know?"

"They were going to tell Dumbledore what they knew in their first year remember?" Remus stated. "But he was already gone by the time they got there."

Speaking for the first time since he fought with Moody, Albus then said, "From what I know of Harry, he really does try to go and tell the teachers if he feels that it's of importance, unfortunately, most of the time it never reaches them."

"That can't be good," Sirius whispered, his good mood slowly fading away.

**They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, they went straight into the deserted staff room. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. Harry and Ron paced around it, too excited to sit down.**

**But the bell to signal break never came.**

**Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.**

**_"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."_**

"You couldn't ask for worse timing," Tonks cried, worried for what happens now.

"I thought that you said that there weren't any more attacks!" Sirius yelled at Minerva, but his anger quickly faded as he saw her terrified expression. This wasn't a good sign if the head of Gryffindor was afraid.

**Harry wheeled around to stare at Ron. "Not another attack? Not now?"**

**"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"**

**"No," said Harry, glancing around. There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to his left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out."**

"You mean that they were there the whole time?!" Severus yelled, sounding outraged.

"This surprises you?" Albus asked his friend with raised eyebrows.

Severus was surprised that he was surprised! This sounds like something they would do!

**They hid themselves inside it, listening to the rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead, and the staff room door banging open. From between the musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.**

**"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."**

"NO!" Tonks screamed as everyone else had gone very white. "This can't be happening! Who was it?!"

Dumbledore looked depressed at that as the safety of his students is always his number one priority. Molly was fighting her sobs, but she wasn't going to be able to hold the back for much longer, Arthur looked as if he himself had been Petrified, Sirius and Remus were both looking at each other—trying to tell each other without words.

Kingsley went on even faster, wanting to know what happened.

**Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"**

"You actually care?" Sirius asked him taken aback. Snape had always been the one to shoot down students and offer up detentions and if possible, expulsions.

"Believe it or not, Black," he snarled back, "If I don't have any brats to teach, that will take apart my pay check."

Sirius rolled his eyes, forgetting for a second that someone was now in real danger. That sounded like something that Snivellus would say.

**"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.' "**

**Professor Flitwick burst into tears.**

**"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"**

**"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall.**

Those words were enough for Molly to burst out sobbing, she leaned into her husband who wrapped his arms around her and whispered soothing words into her ears. They knew that this had happened, they knew that it was coming, but to hear it from Harry and Ron's point of view was ten times worse. When they had heard the news it had come in the form of a letter from Percy it broke their hearts and they went straight to the castle to hear it in person.

Minerva gave them both a sympathetic look and moved so that she could place a hand on Molly's shoulder. She never had children, so she couldn't imagine just how terrible it would've been for the two of them. The Weasleys were the nicest family that you could ever meet, and they didn't deserve this.

Sirius could only stare at them. So many things were running through his mind. He could understand Molly's pain completely. He imagined himself in her shoes, to be told that one of your children was most likely dead at the one place where you expected them to be safe. Except, it was Harry, instead of Ginny who was taken away from him.

What would happen if it had been Harry who was taken? He wouldn't know what to do; Harry had become his main reason for living. Why didn't he know about this? Why hadn't anyone bother to tell him? He could tell immediately what was going to happen next… Harry was going in after her. After all, it was something that not only James would've done… but also Sirius himself. But both Harry and Ginny were just fine! He saw them over Christmas! So, maybe Harry did go down there, found Ginny, and left before the basilisk came? He prayed with all his heart and soul that's what happened. He didn't know if he could take it if Harry was forced to fight against the King of Serpents.

Remus didn't know what to think, why would Ginny be taken? She was… is a Pureblood. _'Don't think like she's dead,'_ he told himself sharply. You know full well that she's just fine. You taught her yourself a year later! But why would she be taken in the first place? The only answer she could think of was that Ginny knew something about the chamber and when she was finally going to go tell someone about it, she was taken to keep her quiet. He couldn't begin to imagine just how this all turned out.

"There's no way they won't go into the chamber now," Tonks muttered, who like everyone else in the room, looked pale, but not as worried as others might be. She loved Ginny like a little sister, but she also knew that she'll be just fine. She'll be alright. Harry would take care of her. How else could they have gotten out of this mess?

**Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him.**

**"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…"**

**The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild moment, Harry was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming.**

**"So sorry — dozed off — what have I missed?"**

"Along with his other talents, Mr. Personality Lockhart definitely has a talent for entrances and a real knack for timing," Moody stated before he looked at Dumbledore and asked, "What did you always say Dumbledore?"

He smiled, though still slightly angry at Alastor, "Only that, as long as there are still people willing to come, Hogwarts will always remain open."

"Sounds like some mental thing you would say," he muttered.

**He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.**

**"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."**

"Finally!" Sirius shouted, raising his hands in mock celebration. "Someone puts that git in his place!"

Severus couldn't help but smirk.

**Lockhart blanched.**

**"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"**

**"I — well, I —"sputtered Lockhart.**

**"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.**

**"D-did I? I don't recall —"**

"You mean that you can't remember, Lockhart?" asked Sirius mockingly before running his fingers together. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I guess all your lies are finally taking its toll on your memory?"

"Isn't it great to see teachers unite to get rid of an idiot like Lockhart?" Tonks asked, with a smile.

**"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"**

**Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.**

"They're doing what they should've done the second that he came to the school," Kingsley muttered.

"Yes," Minerva said with narrow eyes, "Getting rid of him. I've wanted to do that since he first arrived."

**"I — I really never — you may have misunderstood —"**

**"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."**

"Wow," Sirius said sarcastically looking at Minerva and Severus, "One would almost think that you didn't want him around?"

"Who would have thought?" Remus grinned before it slowly fell, remembering that Ginny was still in danger.

**Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble.**

**"V-very well," he said. "I'll — I'll be in my office, getting — getting ready."**

"And he'll be running away," Remus nodded wisely.

**And he left the room.**

"**Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."**

**The teachers rose and left, one by one.**

"You were really going to shut down the school?" Sirius asked them through numb lips. Hogwarts was his very first home, just as it had been for Harry. And with a stab of horror, he realized that if the school shut down then Harry would've been forced to return to the Dursleys. "Where would the students all going to go if they did shut it down?"

"The Ministry's bound to find another school for them to learn magic…" offered Minerva halfhearted.

"But no school could ever be as good as Hogwarts though," Tonks muttered with a fierce nod, everyone else nodded in agreement. Hogwarts was like home to them all, and none of them could ever imagine it being closed.

**It was probably the worst day of Harry's entire life. **

"And that's saying something," whispered Sirius sadly, his heart aching.

**He, Ron, Fred, and George sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other. Percy wasn't there. He had gone to send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then shut himself up in his dormitory.**

Molly sniffled, hearing what had happened to their little sister must've been so painful for them. She wished that she could pull them all into a hug and never let go.

**No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor had Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable to sit there any longer.**

**"She knew something, Harry," said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room. "That's why she was taken. It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all. She'd found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was —" Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. "I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."**

"That has to be it…" Remus said slowly. But as soon as those words were out of his mouth, he remembered Ginny's terrified expression when she saw that Harry had the diary… and she's a Gryffindor who would've known the password to get inside the tower… maybe she knew who it was who was following the instructions of the diary and she was scared of that person? Maybe they forced her to steal the diary back for them? And when she tried to tell Harry and Ron the truth, they took her to silence her?

**Harry could see the sun sinking, blood-red, below the skyline. This was the worst he had ever felt. If only there was something they could do. Anything.**

Sirius could understand completely… if it was Harry who was taken… he shuttered. He didn't care what happened to him anymore. If Harry had been taken, he would've turned that castle upside down trying to find that damn chamber and, if he had to, blow the entrance wide open.

**"Harry" said Ron. "D'you think there's any chance at all she's not — you know —"**

**Harry didn't know what to say. He couldn't see how Ginny could still be alive.**

Tears were now pouring down Molly's eyes like faucets. She couldn't imagine just how scared her little girl must've been that night. Being held hostage by Voldemort and a monstrous snake! Ginny always hated snakes…

**"D'you know what?" said Ron, "I think we should go and see Lockhart. **

"Wait! Wait! Wait, back up!" called Sirius. "Why are they going to Lockhart? They, of all people, know that he's completely useless! They could see it quicker than anyone!"

"They were upset," Albus said sadly, "They weren't thinking straight and wanted to at least do something to help."

"He's not going to help!" Kingsley said shaking his head. "He's going to do what he does best and run."

**Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a Basilisk in there." **

"I think that they would've been better off telling a trained baboon than that prat," Severus drawled. "He'd probably run away screaming."

"Wouldn't surprise me if he did," Sirius sighed.

**Because Harry couldn't think of anything else to do, and because he wanted to be doing something, he agreed. The Gryffindors around them were so miserable, and felt so sorry for the Weasleys, that nobody tried to stop them as they got up, crossed the room, and left through the portrait hole.**

**Darkness was falling as they walked down to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it. They could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps.**

**Harry knocked and there was a sudden silence from inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it.**

**"Oh — Mr. Potter — Mr. Weasley —" he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment —if you would be quick —"**

"Busy right. Busy making a break for it," Moody growled annoyed.

"Oh, I'm sorry professor Lockhart," Sirius said mockingly, "Did we interrupt your packing?! We'll come back when you've already left!"

**"Professor, we've got some information for you," said Harry. "We think it'll help you."**

**"Er — well — it's not terribly —" The side of Lockhart's face that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean — well — all right —"**

**He opened the door and they entered.**

**His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.**

"What?" Tonks said mockingly. "Why it's a bit early to be doing some spring cleaning!"

**"Are you going somewhere?" said Harry.**

**"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up. "Urgent call — unavoidable — got to go —"**

**"What about my sister?" said Ron jerkily.**

"Yeah!" Sirius yelled. "Lie your way out of that one!"

**"Well, as to that — most unfortunate —" said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I —"**

"IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY?" bellowed Arthur in a towering rage. "_'SORRY THAT YOUR ONLY SISTER COULD BE DEAD BUT THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO!?'_ THAT'S HOW HE HANDLES THIS?!"

"Ok," Remus muttered in a surprisingly timid voice. "Just relax. You both know that Ginny's just find… right?"

It took several long minutes to convince him to relax before they turned back to the book.

**"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" said Harry. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"**

**"Well — I must say — when I took the job —" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "nothing in the job description — didn't expect —"**

**"You mean you're running away?" said Harry disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books —"**

**"Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.**

**"You wrote them!" Harry shouted.**

"And that's the only thing he can claim," Severus muttered darkly.

**"My dear boy," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Harry. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. **

"Oh, and you think you've got dress sense, Lockhart?" said Sirius, arching an eyebrow. "What kind of man wears _lilac_?"

**And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on —"**

"Finally," cried Sirius. "He's admitting to what we already know."

"I can't believe that he would actually do that," Minerva snarled. "He stole other's people accomplishments and passed them off as his own? He should've at least tried to do some good out there without resorting to such a disgusting scam! Then he would have bragging rights!"

"Why wouldn't anyone complain about this?!" Tonks demanded.

"Remember what we talked about before?" Remus asked bitterly. "He probably used a couple Memory Charms and went on his merry way."

**"So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" said Harry incredulously.**

**"Harry, Harry," said Lockhart, shaking his head impatiently, "it's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. **

"Well, there's one spell that he's actually capable of doing," muttered Remus.

Arthur looked ready to kill. "This is illegal! He could've gotten 20 years in Azkaban for this if he wasn't in St. Mungo's!"

"Just how did he end up in there?" Kingsley asked.

"I don't care!" Molly cried, "I just want my baby girl safe again."

"Hang on," whispered Sirius. "He's not about to let Harry and Ron go off knowing this, is he?"

Moody thought that over, "Well, unless he's even dumber than we first thought, he's gonna try to use the Memory Charm on them so they'll keep their mouths shut."

"WHAT?!" Molly roared, sounding more like a saber-tooth tiger every second, her eyes bloodshot and swollen.

**If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Harry. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."**

"What about all the hard work that those people who you used a Memory Charm on that deserved the credit?" Remus snarled.

"He's lucky that he's in St. Mungo's," Minerva growled.

"Just how did he get in there in the first place?" Sirius asked exasperated that no one was telling him anything; he was just longing for a bit a justice.

"Let's just say that he was impaled upon his own sword," Albus told them all as he looked lost in thought.

**He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them.**

**"Let's see," he said. "I think that's everything. Yes. Only one thing left."**

**He pulled out his wand and turned to them.**

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Molly bellowed, practically forcing steam to come out of her ears, causing everyone else to look at her in fear as they did with Arthur.

All except for Sirius who was yelling, "You raise that wand and I swear that it'll be the last thing you ever do Lockhart!"

"YOU BOTH ARE YELLING AT A BOOK!" Moody shouted out, looking livid with all the shouting. Once they realized that, they both blushed red and refused to look at hi.

Albus narrowed his eyes, anger boiling in the pit of his stomach. Harry had told him that this happened of course, but if there was one thing that he couldn't stand, it was when anyone would dare to threaten any of his students.

**"Awfully sorry, boys, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book —"**

"No one will buy your books anyway once they find out that you ran away and left a little girl to die!" Tonks snapped.

**Harry reached his wand just in time. Lockhart had barely raised his, when Harry bellowed, "Expelliarmus!"**

**Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window.**

"Why didn't he keep it?" Kingsley asked confused. "It would've been much more useful than his own wand."

"Oh, no," Albus said, and half the room couldn't understand why he was smiling. "It was a very good thing that he kept that wand. I'm sure that we'll find out very soon why."

**"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," said Harry furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking up at him, feeble once more. Harry was still pointing his wand at him.**

**"What d'you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."**

"Now that's just pathetic," Sirius said shaking his head. "Brought to his knees before a couple second-years?"

"Well, look at it this way," Tonks smirked in sarcasm. "This is his lucky day! The boys know where the chamber is, and what's inside so I'm sure that he'll love to join them!"

"Oh, I've been looking forward to this," Severus sneered.

**"You're in luck," said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. "We think we know where it is. And what's inside it. Let's go."**

Remus raised his eyebrows and asked, "I don't get why they're bringing him."

"So the bloody snake can eat him while they rescue Ginny," Sirius said as if it was obvious.

"Oh, good point," he replied.

**They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.**

**They sent Lockhart in first. Harry was pleased to see that he was shaking.**

"You aren't the only one Harry," laughed Sirius, though at the same time he was wishing that Harry was now as far away from that bathroom as possible.

**Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.**

**"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Harry. "What do you want this time?"**

**"To ask you how you died," said Harry.**

**Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.**

"Ok, why does she think that it's flattering?" Tonks couldn't help but ask. "I would find it depressing."

"I think that she's glad that someone finally cares enough to ask," Albus said.

"Didn't you say that you've asked her what killed her several times before but she never answered?" Moody asked him.

"Yes," Albus repeated, looking surprised. "I guess that they got her to talk."

"But why would she tell them and not you?" Minerva asked him confused.

"Maybe…" Albus began. "It's because when I asked her, it was always, _'Who was it who killed you?'_ instead of _'How did you die?'_"

"What's the difference?" Severus demanded.

Albus shrugged. "I'm assuming that it would matter to Myrtle."

**"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then —" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died."**

"Just like that?" Sirius asked with a gulp. "They better get someone else…" but when he noticed the pale expressions on the Weasleys and teachers faces, he couldn't help but feel like he was about to be sick.

**"How?" said Harry.**

**"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…" She looked dreamily at Harry. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."**

"Talk about holding a grudge," Tonks said incredulously, "Just get over it! Boy, did Olive sure get her due or what?"

**"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" said Harry.**

**"Somewhere there," said Myrtle, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.**

**Harry and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face.**

**It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Harry saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.**

Mad-Eye suddenly started to laugh horribly.

"What is it now?" Kingsley asked him with worry, like he thought that Moody was truly going mad.

"Just thinking about what happened earlier in the book," Moody chuckled harshly. "Based on Chapter 12, I think it's safe to say that Ron has a way of backing into clues."

It took them all a few minutes to realize what he was talking about.

"I can't believe that it's been right there all this time," Tonks whispered in amazement. "Under everyone's noses and they never knew!"

**"That tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly as he tried to turn it.**

**"Harry," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."**

"Clever, Ron," Remus nodded. "I didn't think of that. Slytherin would have made it so that only someone who has the ability to speak Parseltongue will be able to open it."

**"But —" Harry thought hard. The only times he'd ever managed to speak Parseltongue were when he'd been faced with a real snake. He stared hard at the tiny engraving, trying to imagine it was real.**

**"Open up," he said.**

**He looked at Ron, who shook his head.**

**"English," he said.**

"I still don't know what to think of this," Sirius whispered, only having Remus hear him. Remus only smiled back, understanding how strange it was, and wondering once again how Harry could have such ability.

**Harry looked back at the snake, willing himself to believe it was alive. If he moved his head, the candlelight made it look as though it were moving.**

**"Open up," he said.**

**Except that the words weren't what he heard; a strange hissing had escaped him, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.**

"Wait," Kingsley stated. "Why did Myrtle never see this big monster of a snake slither through her bathroom that year?"

"Maybe she was so focused on the fact that she was dead that she didn't notice?" offered up Tonks as she was trying to lean over Kingsley shoulder to read what happened next.

**Harry heard Ron gasp and looked up again. He had made up his mind what he was going to do.**

**"I'm going down there," he said.**

**He couldn't not go, not now they had found the entrance to the Chamber, not if there was even the faintest, slimmest, wildest chance that Ginny might be alive.**

"She will be," Remus said as he looked to the Weasleys, who were both miserable and asked them again, "You know that she'll be rescued don't you?"

"But we don't know exactly what happened down there!" Molly cried out. "Harry told us, but he didn't go into much details on what really happened."

"She's right about that," Albus said feeling a lump in his throat. "I had a feeling that he wasn't telling me everything that happened that night."

**"Me too," said Ron.**

**There was a pause.**

**"Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile. "I'll just —"**

"He wants to leave some young kids to go in the on their own to save a girl from a monster?" Molly shrieked.

"What am I not flabbergasted that he would want that?" Minerva barked.

**He put his hand on the door knob, but Ron and Harry both pointed their wands at him.**

**"You can go first," Ron snarled.**

**White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening.**

**"Boys," he said, his voice feeble. "Boys, what good will it do?"**

"Well, I think that they learned their lesson when they went through the trapdoor and landed in Devil's Snare," Remus stated coldly. "They wouldn't want a repeat of that would they?"

"Yeah," Mad-Eye agreed. "Better for him to test if that slide is safe and if the monster's at the bottom. No one would miss him."

"Except his fan-girls of course," Severus muttered.

**Harry jabbed him in the back with his wand. Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe.**

**"I really don't think —" he started to say, but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. Harry followed quickly. He lowered himself slowly into the pipe, then let go.**

"Well, at least they'll know that if the Basilisk is at the bottom, he'll be eaten first," Mad-Eye grunted.

The others all gulped, worried about what was about to happen.

**It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. He could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and he knew that he was falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons. Behind him he could hear Ron, thudding slightly at the curves.**

**And then, just as he had begun to worry about what would happen when he hit the ground, the pipe leveled out, and he shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and white as a ghost. Harry stood aside as Ron came whizzing out of the pipe, too.**

"Ok," Sirius said slowly, "How do they intend to get out of there?"

"They can worry about that after they find Ginny," Arthur said hotly.

**"We must be miles under the school," said Harry, his voice echoing in the black tunnel.**

**"Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls.**

Arthur shivered, wondering what it would feel like to know that you were so far from help if you needed it. He gulped again, hoping that this would be over quickly.

**All three of them turned to stare into the darkness ahead.**

**"Lumos!" Harry muttered to his wand and it lit again. "C'mon," he said to Ron and Lockhart, and off they went, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor.**

**The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wandlight.**

**"Remember," Harry said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away…"**

"Good idea," Tonks said, "But how will that help you fight it? You close your eyes so you can't see it eat you?"

"Oh, shut up, Tonks!"

**But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull. Harry lowered his wand to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones. Trying very hard not to imagine what Ginny might look like if they found her, Harry led the way forward, around a dark bend in the tunnel.**

**"Harry — there's something up there —" said Ron hoarsely, grabbing Harry's shoulder.**

**They froze, watching. Harry could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.**

Sirius could see it in his mind's eyes. His godson, just a year younger than when he met him, wandering around in a dark tunnel where a huge snake was down there waiting for him. Please, let the serpent be dead or something!

**"Maybe it's asleep," he breathed, glancing back at the other two. Lockhart's hands were pressed over his eyes. Harry turned back to look at the thing, his heart beating so fast it hurt.**

**Very slowly, his eyes as narrow as he could make them and still see, Harry edged forward, his wand held high.**

**The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. **

Sirius felt light-headed and repeated in a petrified tone, "It's skin?"

**The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.**

"That is one big snake," Mad-Eye muttered.

"TWENTY FEET?" Molly screeched in terror as her face was paper white, her body began to tremble and she swaying slightly. For a minute, they thought that she was going to faint.

Sirius barely paid any attention to them, he was just praying with all his heart that Harry wouldn't have had to face the owner of that skin.

Snape just couldn't believe that Potter had killed something that size and lived to tell the tale. But this was just more proof that Potter wasn't as selfish and arrogant as he first thought. He was risking his life to save the life of a girl that he barely knew and even after it was all over, he didn't brag about it? Potter didn't even go into real details with the Headmaster of what really happened. He hated how selfless and modest the boy was!

Albus was feeling something that was beyond his curiosity of what he was sure to find out about the diary. He was feeling fear; fear of what Harry was hiding that he didn't want to tell anyone else that night.

**"Blimey," said Ron weakly.**

"You took the words out of my mouth, Ron," whispered Kingsley.

**There was a sudden movement behind them. Gilderoy Lockhart's knees had given way.**

**"Get up," said Ron sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart.**

**Lockhart got to his feet — then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground.**

Moody shook his head. "Constant vigilance!" he yelled. "Never let your guard down, even a coward's capable of treachery!"

**Harry jumped forward, but too late — Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face.**

"He's going to perform a Memory Charm now?!" screamed Tonks.

The teachers on the other hand were laughing, even Dumbledore was chuckling along at the irony of the situation.

"Are we missing something here?" asked Remus confused.

"What's so funny?!" Sirius yelled, finally having enough of this.

"He has Weasley's broken wand, Black," Severus replied, rubbing his hands together, he had been waiting for this moment since the book started. "What do you think's going to happen?"

Sirius felt as though Christmas had come early. He looked back to the book and said, "Oh, justice is sweet."

**"The adventure ends here, boys!" he said. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body — say good-bye to your memories!"**

**He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "Obliviate!"**

**The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Harry flung his arms over his head and ran, slipping over the coils of snake skin, out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. Next moment, he was standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.**

"Oh no!" Sirius and Tonks both yelled.

"Are they ok?!" Remus shouted as Kingsley looked aghast.

**"Ron!" he shouted. "Are you okay? Ron!"**

**"I'm here!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rockfall. "I'm okay — this git's not, though — he got blasted by the wand —"**

**There was a dull thud and a loud "ow!" It sounded as though Ron had just kicked Lockhart in the shins.**

"With Lockhart on our side, who needs Voldemort?" Mad-Eye muttered unconcerned.

Sirius applauded, making a mental note to thank Ron the next time he saw him.

**"What now?" Ron's voice said, sounding desperate. "We can't get through — it'll take ages…"**

"And by that time," Arthur said as his smile slowly faded. "Ginny could be dead."

**Harry looked up at the tunnel ceiling. Huge cracks had appeared in it. He had never tried to break apart anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now didn't seem a good moment to try — what if the whole tunnel caved in?**

"Good thinking," Mad-Eye said. "He's thinking things through."

"For the first time ever," Severus muttered silkily.

**There was another thud and another "ow!" from behind the rocks. They were wasting time. Ginny had already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours… Harry knew there was only one thing to do.**

Sirius knew what was going to happen from the start, and yet he couldn't help but feel as if he was about to pass out at the thought.

"He's going on alone isn't he?" Remus asked, though not needing them to answer. Minerva and Arthur both nodded.

**"Wait there," he called to Ron. "Wait with Lockhart. I'll go on… If I'm not back in an hour…"**

**There was a very pregnant pause, "I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can — can get back through. And, Harry —"**

"That must have been horrible for Ron. Stuck moving rocks with the world's biggest git by his side and his best mate is out risking his life to save his sister's," Sirius said softly. "I would go crazy if I had to do that."

**"See you in a bit," said Harry, trying to inject some confidence into his shaking voice.**

**And he set off alone past the giant snake skin.**

**Soon the distant noise of Ron straining to shift the rocks was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Harry's body was tingling unpleasantly. He wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what he'd find when it did. **

Tonks was trembling. She was a fully-trained Auror, and still this was too dangerous for someone like her to face alone. But here was a twelve year old boy, doing what she could never hope to do. She was really glad that he was on their side.

**And then, at last, as he crept around yet another bend, he saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.**

**Harry approached, his throat very dry. There was no need to pretend these stone snakes were real; their eyes looked strangely alive.**

**He could guess what he had to do. He cleared his throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker.**

**"Open," said Harry, in a low, faint hiss.**

**The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking from head to foot, walked inside.**

Kingsley lowered the book.

"Don't stop now!" Molly yelled nervously. "I need to know what happens!"

"But that was the end of the chapter," he told them. "There's only two more chapters left."

No one wanted to read now; no one wanted to be the one to read what happened next. Instead, they were all thinking about what they just learned.

"Hope Madam Pince was able to re-affix that page," Tonks whispered, trying to lighten the mood after about ten minutes of silence. "You never know who might be in need of a Basilisk reference 1000 years from now."

No one cracked a smile, and she couldn't blame them.

Finally, Minerva, unable to take it any longer volunteered to read. She took the book with shaking hands, turned it to the second to last chapter and read out in a rather strong voice, "**Chapter 16: The Heir of Slytherin**."

**(Yes! Finally! I was having so much trouble with this. But the book is almost over, and for those of you have been asking, yes I WILL be doing Prisoner of Azkaban. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And the next one will be up soon.)**


	20. The Heir of Slytherin

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Chapter 17: The Heir of Slytherin**

Finally, Minerva, unable to take it any longer volunteered to read. She took the book with shaking hands, turned it to the second to last chapter and read out in a rather strong voice, "**Chapter 16: The Heir of Slytherin**."

"So this chapter should tell us everything," Arthur stated softly. No one knew what happened that day, no one but Harry that is. Even Ginny who was down there didn't know all the details because she had been unconscious the whole time. He was afraid to hear what Harry had been forced through while he risked himself for Ginny.

"I'm afraid to hear it," Molly whimpered, wondering just how they made it out of this living hell alive. She bit her lip, terrified to hear more, but unable to stop herself from listening. Sirius on the other hand now had a pretty good idea what it was like to be Petrified. He was frozen with fear flooding his body, he didn't know what to do. He knew that Harry was safe, that he came out of all this alive—but what exactly happened to him while he was down there? Just what did he risk for his friends and how close was it?

Tonks was frightened. As a fully trained Auror, she could take care of herself. She could fight and deal with all sorts of horrors and life-threatening situations… but this… this was beyond anything she had ever heard of. An adult who was used to fighting for their lives, she could understand doing something like this, but we're talking about a little kid! Not even a teenager yet! How was this right?

Remus felt as though a part of his heart had stopped beating. He wasn't sure how he felt about all this, how could some kid be able to pull this off on his own? If he didn't know better he would've sworn that Harry and Ginny had died down there. But they didn't, Harry must've done something to pull them out alive. He really was capable of performing miracles. He couldn't think of another reason.

Albus gripped the ends of his armchair—finally, finally he'll have proof of what he suspected of that diary since the moment Harry had told him after this terrible ordeal. But he always had the feeling that Harry had been hiding something from him. Well, now he'll know the truth.

As for everyone else in the room, Mad-Eye was looking interested and was waiting patiently for the story to be told. As for Kingsley and the other two teachers, they were pale—unsure of what to think. Kingsley was in awe that a kid could've had the guts to do this, Severus only heard rumors of what happened that day, of course he never believed any of it until now. Minerva was feeling guilt that the entire Hogwarts staff wasn't doing as much as the three of them had done that year, and one of their staff had actually tried to erase their memories and leave a little girl to die! Lockhart's lucky that he was in the closed ward at St. Mungo's or he would've answered to her.

She shook her head to try to clear her head and went on, wanting to get this awful chapter over with.

**He was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?**

"Harry, I'm sure you'll find Ginny soon," Molly said quietly—so grateful for the risks he was taking just for her family.

"And as soon as you do," Sirius finished for her, his face bloodless and in a cold sweat, "Hurry and get the hell out of there!"

**He pulled out his wand **

Moody shook his head. "Boy should've had his wand out already!"

"What do you expect after having a Voldemort possessed psycho, and a lying fraud for his Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers?" Remus asked him.

"You sure have your work cut out for you, professor Moony," Sirius smiled slightly.

**and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. He kept his eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.**

"That is Creepy with a capital C," Tonks shivered. She hated snakes.

"Would it have killed Sytherin to put some colors on the walls?" Sirius asked. Despite their fear, he was finally able to get a few laughs from that joke.

**Then, as he drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.**

**Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. **

"Somehow I pictured Slytherin to be a little more attractive," Sirius muttered darkly. "He's a real looker isn't he?"

**And between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.**

At the mention of Ginny, Molly let out a sob and clung even tighter to Arthur—who in turn, was looking as though someone had smacked him. Of all the people out there, why did it have to be Ginny who was involved? He longed to reach out and strangle Lucius Malfoy for that moment.

**"Ginny!" Harry muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to his knees. "Ginny — don't be dead — please don't be dead —" **

Molly started to cry again as Arthur's hand clenched painfully. Sirius and Tonks were as white as ghosts while Minerva's and Remus's eyes were wide with horror.

"You know that she comes out of this alive don't you?" Moody asked them, but it was in a surprisingly soft tone—unlike his usual gruff bark.

"We know," Molly sobbed thinking about how Ginny had changed since her first year. "But after this year, she was never the same. She became more private, doesn't open up to just anyone like she used to. Whatever happened to her, it's like she lost a piece of herself down there.

**He flung his wand aside, **

"No," murmured Albus, worried. Harry had neglected to tell him that he was unarmed when he faced Voldemort.

"Bad move," Kingsley said his eyes widened.

Moody was shaking his head, "You can't win with raw nerve alone, Potter."

**grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be…**

**"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.**

**"She won't wake," said a soft voice.**

"Who's talking now?!" demanded Tonks, looking scared. Why was it so hard to remember that this was already history? She looked up to Albus who answered in a weary voice, "The one who's been behind the opening of the Chamber and all the attacks from the very start."

Now, even Arthur was losing the fight to hold back tears as well.

**Harry jumped and spun around on his knees.**

**A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry were looking at him through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him.**

**"Tom — Tom Riddle?"**

"What?!" Sirius cried out hysterically. "What the bloody hell's going on here?! Voldemort's down there as well as the Basilisk?!"

"I personally rather face the snake," Mad-Eye stated.

**Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's face.**

**"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not — she's not —?"**

**"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."**

Molly was still crying and clinging onto her husband as if he was the only thing that made sense anymore—but there was now a deep anger shining in her wet eyes. A part of her wanted to take this book and throw it into the fireplace, but she bit her lip and continued to listen, wanting every detail.

**Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.**

Dumbledore frowned, this was it. Yes, this was very dark magic. But did that mean that it was a…

"How is that possible?" Tonks asked slowly looking to Remus. "Have you ever heard of anything like this?"

He shrugged. "No. I mean, at first it sounds like a memory… if it looks like someone did half a century ago… but memories are supposed to be just… memories. They aren't supposed to talk back to us. No, this is something much more powerful, and much more dangerous."

**"Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly.**

**"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."**

Albus grimaced. There was no way that a memory could interact with someone else like this. Remus was right, and apparently, he wasn't the only one thinking that…

"How on earth did he manage that?" Moody asked frowning, making him look even more scarred and twisted. "There is now way in hell that a memory could be able to talk to people like this."

"I would guess that it's some real powerful Dark Magic," Remus declared.

"I figured that," Tonks replied a little sarcastically, "But I've never heard of magic that can make a memory talk back."

"I suppose that Voldemort had to have something to do with all his free time," Sirius muttered angrily. "Who's to say that he didn't find a way to make a memory a crazed killer?"

_'No, that not it,'_ thought Albus as he thought to that day when he spoke to Harry after he came out of the Chamber. Harry had told him everything that he could remember about the memory Tom, and he remembered what the boy had told him after the he had returned from the graveyard last year.

_I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. _

He was sure of it at last. He had all the proof that he needed that this was no memory… rather a fragment of a torn soul.

Minerva, who was green by now, read on before Albus could finish his thoughts.

**He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Harry had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. For a second, Harry wondered how it had got there — but there were more pressing matters to deal with.**

"Exactly, grab Ginny, get your wand, and get out of there before he calls the Basilisk!" cried out Molly finally in a terrified tone. "Don't trust him, Harry, he's going to try to kill you both!"

"But how can he do that?" Tonks asked her. "I mean, if he claims that he's just a memory he can't do that much harm can he? I mean, a memory is like a ghost…"

"Unfortunately," Albus muttered, finally voicing his worse fears, "That the Tom Riddle in the diary is much, much more than just a memory."

"Then what is it?" Remus asked him quickly.

"Something much more sinister than anything I've ever heard of before," was his simple answer.

**"You've got to help me, Tom," Harry said, raising Ginny's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk… I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment… Please, help me."**

"He's not there to help you Harry," Sirius whispered exasperated. "He's Voldemort as a teenager! He's going to do something that will try to kill you so just get out while you can!"

"Why bother? He can't hear you," Moody growled, though he too was looking a little worried as well.

**Riddle didn't move. Harry, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent to pick up his wand again.**

**But his wand had gone.**

"NO!" Sirius yelled out as Remus turned whiter than paper.

"He didn't…" cried Minerva.

"Idiot," whispered Severus. Luckily, no one heard him.

**"Did you see —?"**

**He looked up. Riddle was still watching him — twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.**

**"Thanks," said Harry, stretching out his hand for it.**

"Harry, he's not going to give it to!" Tonks yelled. "Think about it! He took your wand! He's not planning on giving it back!"

"What do you expect from someone as thick as Potter?" Severus asked her.

"If you don't shut up…" Sirius began again. His godson was fighting for his life and all Snape could do was throw insults at him?

"Would it be possible for you two to stop behaving like children for five minutes?" yelled Minerva, who finally had enough of they're arguing. "Some of us are trying to listen to the book!"

"Very well Minerva," replied both simultaneously, which caused both to scowl at each other in mutual distaste.

**A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Harry, twirling the wand idly.**

"How can he be holding the wand if he's not really…" Kingsley hunted around for a good word, "All _there_?"

"Of course he's not all there," Sirius growled. "He's nuts!"

"No, Black," barked Moody. "He means that Riddle's not solid!"

"Yet, somehow he's becoming solid," Remus said thoughtfully, "And I think it has something to do with his diary and Ginny." Suddenly a horrible thought came to him and he turned to look at the Weasleys in dismay. Was Ginny actually being…?

**"Listen," said Harry urgently, his knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight. **

**"We've got to go! If the basilisk comes —"**

**"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.**

**Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer.**

**"What d'you mean?" he said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it —"**

**Riddle's smile broadened.**

**"You won't be needing it," he said.**

"Of course he'll be needing it!" Sirius yelled. "That's why he won't be giving it back!"

**Harry stared at him.**

**"What d'you mean, I won't be —?"**

**"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."**

"He sure picked the worst timing to have a conversation didn't he?" Tonks said sarcastically.

**"Look," said Harry, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later —"**

"No, Harry, I'm sorry to say it's you who's not getting it," said Sirius worriedly. Remus could feel him shaking, and he could see beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. He put his hand on Sirius's shoulder in a comforting way.

"He'll make it out of this," he whispered. "He always pulls through at the last minute."

The corners of Sirius's mouth twitched slightly, as though he was trying to smile but forgot how. Yes, he knew that Harry made it out of this mess alive, but that didn't mean that he made it out unscathed. And just a few days ago he wondered why Harry had become so hardened after all these years. He was half-wishing he never found out.

**"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed Harry's wand.**

**Harry stared at him. There was something very funny going on here…**

"You don't say?" Severus said sarcastically. "Finally, he gets it." Though even he was starting to feel just a little bit afraid of what he might hear next. He may have detested the boy with a passion, but he never wanted the boy to die like this.

**"How did Ginny get like this?" he asked slowly.**

**"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."**

"That damn diary!" Arthur yelled out in a broken voice. Why didn't he ever notice that there was something wrong? He should've killed Malfoy that day in Flourish and Blotts when he had the chance!

**"What are you talking about?" said Harry.**

**"The diary," said Riddle. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes — how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how —" Riddle's eyes glinted "— how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her…"**

"That's not true," Tonks said with a slight smile. "If he didn't like her, then he wouldn't be down there risking his life for her would he?"

She looked to the Weasleys who didn't say anything and said, "Ginny'll get her man yet!"

Sirius couldn't help it; he had to laugh at his cousin's attitude. Though his laugher was sounding much more wild and mirthless than actual humor… why didn't Remus just leave these books where he found them?

**All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face. There was an almost hungry look in them.**

"Why am I suddenly reminded of a wolf hunting its wounded prey?" Kingsley asked before his eyes widened and turned to Remus who was looking offended. "Sorry, Remus," Kingsley said in a small voice.

Remus held up a hand and said. "No offense taken. I was just thinking the same thing in fact."

**"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. **

"So why didn't you just stop answering her?!" shouted Arthur. "Why not leave her alone?"

**"But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom… I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in… It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…"**

"I can't read this anymore!" Minerva stopped read and practically threw the book to Albus—who was looking stunned by her sudden distress. Minerva just pulled out her handkerchief before blowing into. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. "But it's just sick of what he did to a little girl! I can't read it anymore!"

She wasn't the only one who was upset like this. Tonks was also crying, silently, but tears were falling down her face as Remus tried to comfort her. Molly was worst of all. Her face was buried in Arthur's shoulder and she was crying her heart out as he also had hot tears falling down from his eyes as well. It took several long minutes before anyone was able to go on.

Albus didn't want to upset Minerva any more than she had to be, so he picked up the book and decided that he would finish it for her.

**Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck.**

Everyone shivered at that description.

"That should be the first warning sign that something's wrong," Moody said.

**"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. **

"So true," Albus sighed, he knew all too well how Tom had been able to charm all the teachers and students at school. A truly dangerous ability.

**So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted…** **I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her…"**

"He was possessing her all this time," Moody said, disappointed at Ginny. "That girl should've seen just how suspicious a talking diary would've been."

"But then that means…" Remus said slowly, realizing what he had been dreading. Tonks looked horrified that her friend had once be forced by Voldemort to do something dreadful… like…

**"What d'you mean?" said Harry, whose mouth had gone very dry.**

**"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."**

"It wasn't her fault," Albus told the Weasleys who were looking devastated. "Miss Weasley didn't have a choice in the matter."

"But why didn't she tell anyone about this?" Sirius asked, he had gone very cold and felt lightheaded.

"She didn't know what she was doing," Albus explained to him sadly. "At first, she didn't realize what was happening. She couldn't remember anything that she did while under Tom's influence."

"But why didn't she come to you once she did finally figure it out?!" Sirius cried out.

"That would've been the best choice," Albus said softly.

"But she was afraid," Minerva finished for Albus. "She was afraid that she would be blamed for the crimes that were happening. She tried to get rid of the diary, and yet she was still being forced to do all this."

Albus thought that it would be best to go on before Sirius could think of a good comeback.

**"No," Harry whispered.**

**"Yes," said Riddle, calmly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first.** **It was very amusing. **

"This… is disgusting," Tonks snarled out. "How could _anyone _take pleasure from torturing an eleven year old girl like that?"

"This is Voldemort we're talking about," Remus muttered through gritted teeth. "He doesn't care what happens to anyone else so long as he gets what he wants."

"So he was a cruel and heartless bastard when he was sixteen as well?" Sirius asked. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

**I wish you could have seen her new diary entries… far more interesting, they became… Dear Tom," he recited, watching Harry's horrified face, "'I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me… There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad… I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!'"**

"Oh, my poor baby," Molly cried quietly. She must've been terrified when she started to realize what was happening. Not knowing what was going on with her until it was over with. And by the time she finally did realize, it was too late. She thought that by getting rid of the diary would get rid of the problem, but it only prolonged the suffering.

Arthur's face grew red in anger as Molly clutched his arm even tighter, for some form of comfort. Harry had told them about the Basilisk, but not of this. He didn't want to tell them just how much Ginny had suffered, for which he was grateful. He didn't think that he could handle anymore suffering right when he thought that his only daughter was dead. But this… he wished that he never came to Grimmauld Place today. He wished that he was at home with his wife and not doing anything.

Remus felt like he was going to be sick as he felt Tonks's hand in his own. It all made sense to him now. At the beginning of the book Ginny almost forgot that damn diary and was desperate to go back and get it. He wondered if Voldemort had a hold of her even then. The diary was able to show Harry what happened fifty years ago because it was responsible for those attacks. Why Ginny was taken into the Chamber despite the fact that she is a Pureblood. Voldemort had been possessing Ginny throughout this whole book, this whole year, making her do all these terrible crimes. Why couldn't he ever see that?

**Harry's fists were clenched, the nails digging deep into his palms.**

**"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," said Riddle. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. **

"She threw it into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, thinking that no one would find it," whispered Minerva. "No one ever goes in there, after all, so she thought that would be the end of it."

"But when she saw Harry with it, she panicked," Albus finished for her in a sad voice. He wished that he had been smart enough to see what had been happening. He would've been able to destroy that diary without anyone else being hurt. "She must've broken into his dormitory to steal it back."

Sirius groaned. Why didn't Harry just leave that stupid book on the floor where it was? Why didn't he bother to show it to any of the teachers? Why didn't he ever think about all this? He bit his lower lip. There was no way that Harry could've made it out of this mess unharmed.

**And that's where you came in, Harry. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet…"**

McGonagall was very white in the face as she listened to what one of her first year students had gone through. And one of her second year students, yet again… she was thinking of how pathetic that she and the rest of the staff were compared to them. A group of kids were able to solve everything and then did the impossible whereas all the teachers in school couldn't. Really, they needed to pull the Hogwarts staff together.

**"And why did you want to meet me?" said Harry. Anger was coursing through him, and it was an effort to keep his voice steady.**

**"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. **

"He's really creeping me out," Tonks shuttered thinking of those eyes.

**"I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust —"**

**"Hagrid's my friend," said Harry, his voice now shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but —"**

**Riddle laughed his high laugh again.**

**"It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, **

"The biggest Slytherin scumbag who ever lived," muttered Sirius. What was the point of killing off all the Muggle-borns? That will just kill off the wizarding race. If you're only going to allow Purebloods to the party, then you're going to have a lot of lot of leftovers.

**poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student… on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, **

Remus couldn't help but smirk at that. There is no way that Hagrid could've raised werewolf cubs. Wolf cubs he could understand… but not werewolves.

**sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls… but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked.**

"He had it all planned out," Albus muttered in a cold voice. "He had everything planned out before he even did it."

"What a sick-o," Tonks muttered as they all nodded in agreement.

**I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance… as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!**

"Hagrid's got both," Tonks said as she gnashed her teeth furiously.

"Yes," Sirius muttered with a slight sneer. "He just chooses not to use them."

**"Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent.**

"Of course he would," Kingsley said with a smile to the Headmaster.

"Yes, I believed Hagrid and I knew that he couldn't have done it," Dumbledore said, thinking of the big-hearted and gentle giant who was no different than any other student. "Hagrid's heart was far too big to do all that."

"Besides," Arthur muttered. "Hagrid was in Gryffindor. There was no way that he could've been Slytherin's heir."

"Any fool would've realized it," Minerva muttered bitterly.

**He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed… Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did…"**

"Did you know it was him?" Sirius demanded. "Did you know that Voldemort was behind it the whole time?"

"Oh, I had my suspicions at first," Albus answered truthfully. He never trusted the boy after going to meet him the first time in that orphanage, and yet Tom had always been very guarded with him ever since they first meet. "It wasn't until Hagrid was caught did I put two and two together. However, without proof, there wasn't anything I could do."

"Well that just proves that git Dippet was a lousy Headmaster," Tonks muttered angrily.

**"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Harry, his teeth gritted.**

**"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."**

"Noble? Noble?" repeated Arthur in disgust. "How can it be noble? Evil's a better word if you ask me!"

"Well that just shows that he failed time and time again!" Sirius stated.

"Oh, wow," Moody stated suddenly.

"What is it now?" Severus asked. He hadn't said a word, sickened at how his _boss_ was responsible for all this, especially trying to take the lives of a couple brats.

Moody tilted his head and said slowly, "Riddle really did murder Moaning Myrtle. Ron had joked that would have merited an award, but considering how ornery her ghost is, Riddle didn't do anyone a favor."

"Oh," Sirius winced. "I bet that he was kicking himself for that."

**"Well, you haven't finished it," said Harry triumphantly. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again —"**

**"Haven't I already told you," said Riddle quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? **

"No you didn't," muttered Sirius airily. "I think that you must be getting a little forgetful from being trapped in that book for so long, Riddle!"

"What's he want then?" Remus asked timidly, but he already had a good idea.

**For many months now, my new target has been - _you_." **

"He's tricked him! He's set up a trap! He's used Ginny to lure Harry there and then kill him once he finished sucking the life out of Ginny!" cried Molly, in heartbroken sobs. Arthur was fuming that anyone could actually do this and feel no remorse. What is wrong with someone to actually take pleasure in killing students? He dug his nails into his palms in anger and fear.

Tonks and Kingsley were both looking livid as Sirius started to shake. From fear or anger was anyone's guess. Remus looked to the teachers, wanting answers to what happened, but they just sat there looking miserable. Even Snape who never felt horrible for the students was feeling pity for the boy.

**Harry stared at him.**

**"Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? **

"She must've been scared stiff when she saw Harry with it," Tonks said. "So she stole it back so that he wouldn't find out what had happened."

"And I think that she was also afraid that Riddle would try to possess Harry like he did to her if he kept it," Sirius whispered. That was what was happening now though. Voldemort knew of the connection between their minds, and he would no doubt try to use Harry like he used Ginny. He glared at Snape and Dumbledore. They better hope that Voldemort doesn't get the chance… because if Harry got hurt because of them… They were gonna wish they were dead by the time he was through with them.

He gritted his teeth, biting back the yelling and insults that he was dying to throw out to them but instead focused on listening to Dumbledore go on.

**So the foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery — particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. **

"So that's why he went after Hermione!" Tonks and Minerva yelled out in outrage.

"Why doesn't this surprise me?" Kingsley muttered. He was angry… which was an impressive feat itself. It takes a lot to get him over the edge.

**And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue…**

**"So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. **

The Weasleys swelled with pride for Ginny. Despite everything that had happened to her, despite that she was being held hostage in the Chamber of Secrets, she still tried to fight back. She still fought despite everything.

**But there isn't much life left in her… She put too much into the diary, into me. **

"So he's no different than a parasite sucking her for every ounce of life?" Moody asked. "That explains Voldemort to a T."

"I hate this," Molly sobbed. "Think of all the people that suffered up to this point. Just because of one Rouge Dark Wizard." She thought of her brothers Gideon and Fabian, the Bones, the McKinnons, the Longbottoms, Harry's parents, and so many other who all had suffered and their families were torn apart all because Voldemort felt threatened by them.

**Enough to let me leave its pages at last… I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter."**

**"Like what?" Harry spat, fists still clenched.**

**"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you — a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"**

"That's all he wanted to know?" Sirius yelled out in anger and fear. "I thought that he said that he had _many_ questions for Harry. I suppose that he only said that to make Harry think he had time to get out of there alive."

"Sirius! Stop it!" Molly screamed at him hysterically. "That's my daughter down there so please stop talking like that!"

"Well my godson's down there trying to save your daughter in case you forgot!" Sirius yelled back at her. "How do you think I feel?!"

Albus almost had to shout to drown out their voices.

**There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.**

**"Why do you care how I escaped?" said Harry slowly. "Voldemort was after your time…"**

"In a way he was," Albus said sadly. The name Voldemort wasn't taken up permanently until after he started to gather up his army. Once he was powerful enough, he forever shed that name.

**"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter…"**

"So Harry finally finds out who it was," Remus whispered.

"What a way to find out," Sirius muttered. "In the Chamber of Secrets with a monster and Ginny who's out cold."

**He pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:**

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

**Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:**

**I AM LORD VOLDEMORT**

_'And that's one huge anagram,'_ Albus thought sadly. _'But then, why has Harry's scar not hurt? Is it because Riddle's not real, is it because it's before he attacked Harry? Or most likely, that the diary is only a fragment of Voldemort's soul and does not apply?'_

Molly's body shook violently as Arthur's pale face went even whiter. It was so hard to believe that the handsome Tom Riddle would grow up to be a killer.

"I've always wondered where he got such a dumb name," Moody said calmly.

His lack of concern was finally too much for Molly. She stood up and began shrieking what she was really thinking of him at the moment. She went screaming on about how someone who was supposed to be the greatest Auror the Ministry ever had, could be so cold-hearted.

Albus couldn't help but feel a vindictive pleasure at hearing Alastor Moody being screamed and shouted at after everything the man had said to him. But he knew that he had to step in.

"Molly," Albus said loudly as everyone else either cowered or was bravely trying to calm her down. "I know that this is hard to hear for all of us. But you keep forgetting that this already happened and…"

"I don't care!" she screamed at him so fiercely that Albus was taken aback. "He's sitting there," Molly hollered and pointed a shaking finger at Mad-Eye, who was looking both stunned and amused. "He's sitting there, not caring if my daughter or Harry died in that terrible place! That there's a 50-year old power-crazy murderer down there just sucking Ginny's life out of her and…"

She went on for a while before Arthur, who mustered his courage, got up and put his hands on her shoulders so that he could steer her out of the room. "Molly? Molly, dear it's ok. Come downstairs for a minute."

She broke out in sobs again and Arthur led her out of the room. He gave them all an apologetic look before mouthing, "We'll be back in a minute."

They then left, leaving the others staring at the door, not knowing what to say. They could hear Molly Weasley sobbing all the way downstairs and out of earshot before they all looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Moody on the other hand was chuckling lightly, "You know?" he said. "If she channeled all that anger into battle, I don't think that Voldemort will stand a chance."

Tonks laughed a little uncontrollably as Sirius and Snape stared at him in amazement.

_*Downstairs*_

Molly cried, soaking her husband's shirt—but she was still able to keep quiet just long enough to cross the main floor so that the portraits wouldn't wake up. But once they were back in the kitchen, she howled in pain and misery.

"Molly," Arthur said as he led her to a seat and went to the cupboards to make some soothing tea, (with a touch of Firewhisky for flavor) and saying words of comfort. "It's alright! You know that Harry saved Ginny, beat Riddle, destroyed the diary, and to top it all off—he killed the Basilisk!"

"I know," Molly cried. "I know all that. And I keep telling myself all that, but I still can't help but cry. And then I hear Mad-Eye talking about this so calmly, it's just driving me up the wall. I don't know why I let this happen to Ginny. I should've been able to tell that something was wrong with Ginny when I got those letters from her and made sure that she was alright. And then there's this mess with Percy? I'm just a horrible excuse for a mother."

She gave a shuttering gasp and put her head down on the table and cried like never before. Arthur frowned as he heated the kettle and put the bottle of whisky down.

"Molly," he slowly and deliberately. She didn't look up at him, feeling to ashamed to look at him. Finally, he slammed the bottle down on the table so hard that it broke. She looked up in surprise to see his hardened face. "Molly," he said as he forced her to look at him in the same way that she forced him to look her in the eye earlier that day when they read the chapter of them visiting Gringotts and he felt terrible at their lack of money for all these years.

"You are not, I repeat, NOT a horrible mother," he said as he looked her in the eye. "You're doing everything you can to raise our children, making sure that they're safe and cared for. You always put yourself last and the kids first. Everything you do, you do to try to protect them, even if they don't like it. You even do what you can to take care of Harry and Hermione. I know that they all feel the same way."

"But what about Percy?" Molly whimpered. "I know that the twins are furious with me for not agreeing with their joke shop ambition. And if I paid more attention to Ginny for that first year then maybe she wouldn't have been…"

Arthur cut her off before she could get into a stride. "Don't worry about Percy," he said. "I'm sure that before this is all over, he'll realize what really matters to him. He's just a little lost now. As for Fred and George? Yes, they aren't happy that you don't approve of their dream of a joke shop. But you just want to make sure that they work hard and end up doing something that they won't regret later on in life. I think that we should give them a chance to see how it all works out for them. I mean," he smiled as he stroked her face lovingly.

"They aren't babies anymore," he told her. "It's not something that we have any right to try to stop them. If they want to open a shop, then that's their decision. But personally, I don't think that we ever gave them enough credit."

Molly sniffled. Yes, she wanted her children to be happy… but a joke shop? How can they possibly make a living off all that? But she also knew that they could never be happy doing a Ministry job. And with the Ministry as it is, she wasn't so keen about them joining anymore anyway.

She decided that she'll give them one chance. She'll back off and let them do what they want… see if they can actually pull this off. She had to admit, they were certainly working harder at this then their school work. She could only hope that she won't regret letting them do this.

"And as for Ginny," Arthur whispered. "There was nothing that we could've done. How could we have known what was happening to her? How on earth could we have known that she was being possessed by V-V-V-Voldemort?" he stuttered and winced as the word came out of his mouth.

Molly stared at him, it was the first time that he had ever said the name. He took several deep breaths and went on, "We couldn't have known. Ginny didn't know. And with everything happening at the school we both thought that she was just stressed out or afraid. We never could never have guessed that this would've happened. Let's just be grateful that Harry, Ron, and Hermione risked so much to solve this mystery. Thankful that Hermione figured it out, that Ron was willing to brave the forest and his worst fears, and Harry risking it all for us and Ginny."

Molly felt the tears fall again as Arthur's own tears fell again. He then pulled her into his arms and said, "I don't ever want to hear you say that you're a terrible mother. You love our kids more than anything else out there. I know that you would rather die than let any of them get hurt. You're a terrific and loving mother… don't ever doubt that. You understand me?"

Molly couldn't speak. She just nodded into his shoulder until she felt the tears stop. She shed enough tears for today.

_*Upstairs*_

After the two Weasley's left, Albus thought that it would be best if they waited for them once they had calmed down. Sirius had suggested that maybe they should read on ahead, but Remus reminded him that it was Ginny who was down and they deserved to know more than anyone what happened.

So instead, they talked about Voldemort.

"But why did Tom Riddle change his name to something so dumb?" Tonks asked Dumbledore. "I mean, I can see where he came up with the name, but why Voldemort?"

"Maybe he hated his name the way that you hate the name Nymphadora?" Sirius smiled.

"I have every right," Tonks said, wincing at her own name. "My dear old Mum really out did herself with that didn't she? But really, Tom? It's a nice, common name. Why would he be so…"

"I'm afraid that was the problem," Albus stated. "Tom Riddle always believed that he was superior. Special. He hated the fact that his name was so common. So he changed it to a name that he thought would be better suited for him."

"But Voldemort?" Tonks asked, she always believed that names were important. "That's got to be the most awful name I ever heard of."

"Must be why he likes it," Kingsley said.

Dumbledore frowned slightly, came out and said, "That's only half the reason. You see Tom Riddle grew up in a Muggle orphanage, not knowing any members of his family. His mother, died shortly after giving birth. Riddle's father didn't care about him or his mother at all, as he left his wife while she was pregnant and never attempted to track down the whereabouts of their child. Tom was disgusted by his Muggle relatives, and took on the alias '_Lord Voldemort_' mostly to rid himself of his father's name."

Albus sighed as he thought of the boy that he first met. He then said, maybe more to himself than the others, "To the school at large he appeared to be an exceedingly handsome and polite child. In reality, however, Tom was known to be cruel, arrogant, sadistic, and manipulative."

"So in other words," Sirius spat. "Lord Voldemort was a cruel, self-obsessed psychopath who was and still is incapable of feeling love or compassion so long as he got what he wanted?"

"I'm afraid so," Albus sighed regretfully. "He deeply enjoyed the suffering of others, even his own followers. He feels no desire or need for human companionship or friendship, and is unable to comprehend the idea of any love or affection for another. He thought of everything in terms of power, and despite his tremendous knowledge of magic, his understanding of many things is extremely limited, especially of things that he considered to have no value."

"Like Harry and Lily," Remus said sadly. They all looked at him before he elaborated. "He underestimated Lily that night," he said. "And he underestimates Harry time and time again like what happened in the graveyard last June."

"Yes," Albus noddagreed. "That is our greatest weapon against him. If there is one thing that Tom doesn't understand, it is love. He believes that he doesn't need anyone. And that will be his downfall."

Sirius thought that over. It was Harry that Voldemort wanted… he knew all too well that he wanted Harry dead more than anything else. That was why he wanted the prophecy so badly. Sirius bit his lower lip. Harry really was the only chance they had to defeat him.

Yes, the two of them were more alike than ever wanted to admit, but in so many ways, they are complete opposites.

He then heard Dumbledore talking again and heard the words:

"Disappointed and disgusted with his family, Voldemort sought confirmation of his own perceived greatness through his relation to Salazar Slytherin, and became obsessed with Slytherin's ideals of blood supremacy."

It was those words that brought Sirius to the terrible realization that Harry was face to face with Lord Voldemort once again. Alone. Where even Dumbledore couldn't help him.

"He's mad," Sirius muttered with suppressed rage. He didn't care what the _'Dark Lord'_ had planned. He was willing to do anything to stop him once and for all. And if that meant giving up his own life, then that was just fine by him. The thing that he hated most right now more than anything was the simple fact that Harry had been fighting for his life once again, and he was nowhere to help.

Some godfather he was…

Before he could voice this however, the two Weasleys had finally come back. Molly looked a good deal calmer than before, though her eyes were all red and puffy and there were still tear-tracks on her face.

She was carrying a large teacup of steaming tea in her hands, while Arthur led her to back to her seat. "Sorry," he said. "This is just hard for us."

They all nodded in understanding. Molly took several sips of tea before she turned to Mad-Eye and said in a hoarse voice. "I'm sorry for… for what I said, Mad-Eye."

He just grinned as he waved his hand away. "Don't worry about it, Molly. I personally thought that it was good that you got all that off your chest. But now that you're done, we should hurry up."

She nodded and turned back to Albus as she leaned her head against Arthur, who lay his own head on top of hers. Albus smiled gently at them and finally went on where he left off.

**"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. **

"What friends?" Sirius could help but butt in, "Didn't he mean servants?"

**You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side?**

"I can't believe that the world's biggest pureblood supremist is only a Half-blood!" Tonks exclaimed in disgust.

"It figures," Sirius said as he glared tensely at the book. "Only Slytherin could spawn a psychopath like him."

Severus glared at him, offended at the insult of his old school house, but secretly, he felt like he had to agreed.

**I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry — I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"**

"He's not even close," Minerva said darkly. "I know for a fact that there are hundreds of witches and wizard that are far greater than he could ever hope to be."

"Pretty much every other wizard is better than him," Sirius snarled. He didn't care how powerful that Voldemort was. As far as he was concerned, anyone who was against him, was better than him—better as a human if not by power.

**Harry's brain seemed to have jammed. He stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder Harry's own parents, and so many others… At last he forced himself to speak.**

**"You're not," he said, his quiet voice full of hatred.**

"You tell him, Harry," Sirius said, his voice so full of pride that everyone couldn't help but smile. Even, stick in the mud, Snape.

**"Not what?" snapped Riddle.**

**"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Harry, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore.**

Dumbledore couldn't help smiling at those words. But Moody had voiced what he was secretly bothering him.

"So even back then he was always on your side," Moody stated as his eyes swirled around to look at him. "You really think you deserve that praise from him, Dumbledore?"

_'No,'_ thought Albus as he shifted in guilt. He certainly didn't deserve Harry's praise, but it was comforting to know that the boy felt akin to him. He wasn't sure if he could handle it if they were reading about Harry's fifth year; for he knew that Harry had bitter feelings towards him now.

**Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. **

**Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days —"**

"Thank you, Harry," murmured Albus in an undertone, even though he didn't agree. People may consider him to be the greatest wizard in the world, but that so-called greatness didn't stop Ariana from dying all those years ago… didn't stop from Tom becoming Voldemort… didn't stop Harry's needless suffering for all these years…

"He won't like that will he?" said Sirius proudly.

**The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.**

"Potter's going to pay for that," Severus warned, knowing that this wasn't going to end well. He knew first hand that you don't get away with insulting the Dark Lord, even if this Dark Lord was only sixteen.

"Yes, but this is working in Potter's favor," Moody stated. "If you get angry you can't focus on the matter at hand. That's the biggest way to screw up; to allow someone to make you mad."

**"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.**

**"He's not as gone as you might think!" Harry retorted. He was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, wishing rather than believing it to be opened his mouth, but froze.**

**Music was coming from somewhere. **

Dumbledore smiled. This was where Fawkes was drawn to Harry because of the loyalty he showed, not just to him, but to the school itself.

Everyone else tensed. What was going on now? Why would there be music in the Chamber?

**Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Harry's scalp and made his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Harry felt it vibrating inside his own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling.**

"Fawkes?" Sirius whispered in amazement; suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Harry wasn't alone anymore.

"This is one interesting plot twist," Tonks whispered. "Did not see that one coming."

**It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.**

**A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on his shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Harry looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry's cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.**

**"That's a phoenix." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.**

"No," Sirius said mockingly. "Really? I had no idea!"

**"Fawkes?" Harry breathed, and he felt the bird's golden claws squeeze his shoulder gently.**

**"And that —" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, **

"What is it?" Remus asked, leaning in—expecting something truly spectacular to protect Harry.

**"that's the old school Sorting Hat —"**

"Huh?" most cried out in disbelief.

**So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Harry's feet.**

"How is that going to help Harry?" Sirius muttered a bit angry at the bird for bringing him an old hat. He glared at Dumbledore only to feel astonished at the small smile on the old man's face.

"Why not bring a sword or something useful?" Tonks demanded.

"Ah," Albus said smiling, a twinkle back in his eyes. "Don't lose hope just yet. Appearances can be deceiving."

"How's a hat supposed to help him against a teenage Voldemort and a Bbasilisk?" Sirius demanded.

Rather than tell him, Albus decided to let the book speak for itself.

**Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once.**

"I thought that one Riddle was bad enough," Kingsley muttered as other shuttered at the idea of more than one Voldemort.

Sirius clenched his hands tightly. It was painful for him to hear that Harry was being laughed at while he was in such big trouble, while he, Sirius Black, couldn't do anything to help him. Because at that moment in Harry's life, he was still locked in a cell on some godforsaken island.

**"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat!**

"Did you really send him, Dumbledore?" Severus asked curiously.

Albus shook his head. "No, I didn't. Fawkes has a mind of his own don't forget. He came because he wanted to."

**Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?"**

**Harry didn't answer. He might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat were, but he was no longer alone, and he waited for Riddle to stop laughing with his courage mounting.**

**"To business, Harry," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice — in your past, in my future — we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."**

"Which means that Potter's not going to waste any more time and make small talk," guessed Moody as Sirius began to sweat as if he had run a marathon. Remus wasn't sure how much more of this his friend, or himself for that matter, could stand to listen before losing their minds.

**Harry was thinking fast, weighing his chances. Riddle had the wand. He, Harry, had Fawkes and the Sorting Hat,** **neither of which would be much good in a duel. It looked bad, all right… but the longer Riddle stood there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny… **

"Doesn't he care about himself at all?" Severus asked incredulously.

"Maybe he's not such an arrogant, selfish, show-off that you thought he was, eh Snape?" Sirius muttered.

Severus glared at him as Albus sent a slight smile in his direction. Severus refused to look at him and merely said, "It only proves that he's reckless and thick not to take his own safety into account. He really is just like his father… and I mean all of his worst qualities, Black."

Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but Albus went on before they could get into another fight.

**and in the meantime, Harry noticed suddenly, Riddle's outline was becoming clearer, more solid… If it had to be a fight between him and Riddle, better sooner than later.**

**"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked me," said Harry abruptly. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't kill me. Because my mother died to save me. **

_'She did what any real mother would have done,' _Molly thought. She wished with all of her heart that Harry didn't have to be the one to face all these difficult hardships, but she trusted Harry with Ginny's life. She only wished that his parents could know just how amazing their son turned out.

**My common Muggle-born mother," he added,**

"That'll make him angry," Severus muttered, with a pang—thinking about Lily's bravery. Feeling jealously that Lily had loved her son so much that she willingly died for him. For years, he had blamed Potter for her death… but he also blamed himself… if he had never heard that damn prophecy…

**shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul —"**

"Harry," Remus whispered worriedly. "Taunting him may not be the best idea right now you know?"

"At least the kid's showing some backbone," Kingsley muttered as Minerva changed from green to white in a flash.

**Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile. "So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now… there is nothing special about you, after all.**

_'Yes, there is,'_ thought Albus, thinking of the prophecy. _'You're just too stubborn to see and admit it, Tom.'_

**I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, **

"No there isn't!" Sirius snarled furiously.

**after all. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike…**

"Stop comparing yourself to him!" Sirius snarled, shaking with suppressed rage.

"Harry is nothing like him!" Molly agreed, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"But you have to admit," Remus said slowly, "They have a point."

It was lucky that Sirius and Molly liked Remus. Otherwise, they would've killed him at that moment. Remus, sensing the danger coming said quickly, "There are several similarities is all I'm saying! But they both choose different outcomes and that's what makes them different. Riddle chose a life of revenge, anger, and hatred. Harry on the other hand chose friendship and love… so even though they have a lot in common, they have even more differences!"

"That is correct Remus," Albus smiled at him. "Even though Harry and Tom had come from similar backgrounds, there outcomes are different because they wanted them to be. And that is what made all the difference."

"Don't care what you both say," Sirius growled. "Harry's nothing like that bastard."

**but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."**

**Harry stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise his wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.**

**"Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him…"**

**He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed but Harry understood what he was saying…**

**"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."**

They all, except Snape who grimace, snorted at the ego that Slytherin had. And Severus thought that Gryffindors were fat-headed?

**Harry wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on his shoulder.**

**Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horrorstruck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.**

"Why am I suddenly reminded of the Dark Mark?" Kingsley asked, thinking of the Death Eaters symbol.

"This must be where Voldemort got the idea," Moody stated thoughfully.

**Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as he shut his eyes tight **

**he felt Fawkes' wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?**

Albus smiled. "Oh, Fawkes stands a very good chance. Phoenixes are immune to the gaze of a Basilisk, making them the only known creatures to be unaffected by the deadly serpents gaze."

"There's irony for you," Minerva muttered, shuttering to think of what would've happened if Dumbledore only had an owl for a pet instead of a Phoenix.

**Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Harry felt it shudder — he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then he heard Riddle's hissing voice:**

**"Kill him."**

"NO!" most of them couldn't help but yell out, forgetting that it was a book once again.

**The basilisk was moving toward Harry; he could hear its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut, Harry began to run blindly sideways, his hands outstretched, feeling his way — Voldemort was laughing.**

"Of course he would," Moody said harshly. "He would love the idea that his enemy was powerless and helpless in his presence. That no one could hope to stand in his way."

Tonks and Remus were glaring at the book; how dare this bastard laugh at something so sick? How can someone be so twisted to laugh at the idea of killing innocent people?

**Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood the serpent was barely feet from him, he could hear it coming.**

"No," whispered Molly and Sirius, never tearing their horrified expressions from the book in Albus's hands. Sirius had to keep repeating to himself over and over that this already happened and Harry is safe. But how on earth did he and Ginny get out of this alive?

**There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above him, and then something heavy hit Harry so hard that he was smashed into the wall. Waiting for fangs to sink through his body he heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars.**

"Now what?!" Tonks gasped, squeezing Remus's hand so tightly that he was losing  
feeling in his fingers. Not that he noticed. He was torn between fear of what he was hearing… and a strange feeling of happiness of being so near Tonks. He felt the need to slap himself as he came back to the matter at hand.

**He couldn't help it — he opened his eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.**

**The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Harry trembled, ready to close his eyes if it turned, he saw what had distracted the snake. Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. **

"Go Fawkes!" Sirius cried out, hope rising once again. "Go for the eyes!"

"Now Harry will be able to see what's going on!" Tonks cried out eagerly. "Let's thank our lucky stars that Fawkes is on our side!"

**The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned — Harry looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, **

Sirius tensed up slightly at those words.

**had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony.**

Sirius let of a sigh of relief that he didn't realize he was holding.

**"NO!" Harry heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM. KILL HIM!"**

Molly groaned. Was it to much to hope that without its eyes the snake wouldn't be able to find him? And, there was still Ginny! She could've been crushed by the snake if it wasn't careful! No! She's just fine! Harry was there after all! He made sure that she came out of this nightmare alive!

"Yes, but now the snake lost its biggest weapon," Tonks said with a hopeful smile.

"But the Basilisk is still deadly even blind," Kingsley added.

"Oh, ruin my mood why don't you?!"

**The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.**

**"Help me, help me," Harry muttered wildly, "someone — anyone…"**

Those words felt like someone was squeezing Sirius's heart tightly. He heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes, hating the fact that his godson had to face Voldemort for the third time in his life. He knew he made it out of there, but that didn't mean he couldn't get hurt in the process. Where was he when Harry needed help? Why was he so stupid to get both of their lives ruined in one night? He wanted to go and bang his head against a rock or something until he was dead. His guilt was like a parasite eating his heart out.

**"The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. Harry ducked. Something soft hit his basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Harry's arms.**

"How can it help?" Kingsley asked exasperated.

"It must be able to help somehow," Remus muttered. Of course, he was one of the only few people in the room who bothered to read _Hogwarts: A History_… and if what he suspected was going to happen then the hat was going to be much more helpful than they thought.

**Harry seized it. It was all he had left, his only chance he rammed it onto his head and threw himself flat onto the floor as the basilisk's tail swung over him again.**

**Help me — help me — Harry thought, his eyes screwed tight under the hat. Please help me.**

**There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly.**

"What?" Sirius asked now at a complete lost to what was happening, but several grins were appearing on Dumbledore, Remus, the Weasleys, and Minerva's face, for they knew what was going on. Harry was actually going to do it… he was going to kill Slytherin's monster.

**Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of Harry's head, almost knocking him out. Stars winking in front of his eyes, he grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard beneath it.**

**A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.**

Albus stopped to look around the room. The Weasleys were smiling in gratitude and joy, Minerva was looking proud of her Gryffindor while Moody looked like he was fighting hard not to laugh. Severus looked amazed, and he knew that Severus never believed any of the rumors of Harry fighting the monster.

Tonks looked to be in awe. She looked so amaze, so impressed, that all she could say in a tiny voice was, "Wow. Guess Fawkes did him bring a sword…"

Remus was grinning broadly. He knew the legend that if a true Gryffindor was in real need of it, then the sword of Godric Gryffindor will appear to them. He looked to Sirius who was looking dumbfounded and delighted before he said with a laugh, "You can breathe now, Padfoot."

Sirius opened his mouth and took a breath, suddenly realizing that he hadn't been breathing since the Basilisk appeared; now felt his pride continued to grow… this was the final bit of proof that Harry belonged in Gryffindor.

**"KILL THE BOY! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. SNIFF — SMELL HIM."**

Snape glanced at Albus in alarm. Yes, he heard the rumors. Yes, Dumbledore told him what had happened that night… but come on, how can you expect a kid to do all that? Maybe he never gave the kid a chance? He shook his head. No, he will find something to prove his thoughts of finding something horrible about James Potters spawn.

**Harry was on his feet, ready. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face him. He could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow him whole, lined with fangs long as his sword, thin, glittering, venomous. It lunged blindly,**

Molly was breathing hard… Arthur was focused on Albus's words as everyone else tensed up. They all knew that this was it. Harry was going to finally face that thing head on! A centuries old, and deady serpent with nothing but a sword!

This was it…

**Harry dodged and it hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side. He raised the sword in both his hands —The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true — Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth.**

Sirius looked as though something very heavy had slammed into his face. His mouth was open and he seemed to have forgotten how to breathe again. Harry did it. A twelve year old did it. Albus was grinning broadly as Arthur sighed in relief. It was all over. Now all he had to do was get Ginny and then get out of there.

"He did it?" Severus choked out. "He really did it?"

"Yes, Severus," Minerva smiled. "Maybe you need to give Potter a little more credit?"

"Not a chance," he began, it was then that everyone noticed the smile fade from Albus's face to be replaced with a look of pure horror.

"What?" Kingsley called out. "It's over! Harry finished it! He's safe now!"

Mad-Eye was looking confused now as Tonks and Remus shared a concerned look. The Weasleys were waiting, wanting to know what was going on. Albus took a deep breath and said in a slightly shaking voice, **But as warm blood drenched Harry's arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm **

All the happiness and joy in the room had vanished at those words. There was no way that it could be true.

**and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor.**

"Harry failed to mention this," murmured Albus in a small voice.

Sirius's smile fell off his face as he stared at the book in disbelief… no, there was no way that it was possible. McGonagall was white faced as Molly and Arthur looked like they were about to vomit. They were all told the story of what happened in the Chamber, but Harry never told them this.

Snape was gripping his armchair so tightly his knuckles were as white as his face, and he didn't have the slightest clue to why he was feeling so anxious. What was the matter with him?

"No!" Molly cried, her eyes opening wide, and everyone looked either shocked or horrified.

"Basilisk venom is deadly," Moody mumbled, staring in shock at the book. Not having the slightest clue to how Potter could've survived a Basilisk fang.

"No," Albus whispered, "Fawkes is there with him."

"Who cares?" Sirius shouted out in panic. "We're talking about Harry, not that bird-brain!"

Albus frowned at the insult to his pet. "Phoenix tears…" he said slowly and calmly. "Are the only the only antidote to the Basilisk venom."

At those words, they all looked ready to sob with relief, Sirius in fact looked like he wanted to kiss that _bird-brain_. Smiling again, Albus went on, though not fully understanding why Harry never told him what happened.

**Harry slid down the wall. He gripped the fang that was spreading poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as he dropped the fang and watched his own blood soaking his robes, his vision went foggy. The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull color. **

"Oh, Harry," sighed Albus, feeling like he failed the boy once again. Why did all his plans to protect someone seem to fail so terribly?

Tonks clung onto Remus's arm. Remus had seen people… friends… die at the preserve, but to hear this from his best friend's son… the pain that he was in… this was nothing but torture.

Sirius let out a dog-like whimper, this was killing him inside, he wanted this awful chapter to hurry up and end.

**A patch of scarlet swam past, and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him.**

"**Fawkes," said Harry thickly. "You were fantastic, Fawkes…"**

**He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced him**. **He could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved in front of him.**

**"You're dead, Harry Potter," said Riddle's voice above him. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."**

Everyone smiled at how forget Voldemort seemed to become in his old age.

"I thought Voldemort was supposed to be intelligent," Tonks said incredulously, shaking her head. And this guy was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent people?

"Apparently not at sixteen," Mad-Eye laughed. That over-confidence will be the end of Voldemort without a doubt to him. "Cocky wasn't he?"

**Harry blinked. Fawke's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.**

**"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."**

**Harry felt drowsy. Everything around him seemed to be spinning.**

**"So ends the famous Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. **

"I don't remember Harry ever challenging him," muttered Sirius under his breath, "If you ask me, it was the other way around."

**"You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry… **

"Don't you dare call Lily that," Molly, Remus, Sirius, and Minerva hollered with a hard glare. After all, she was the one who stopped him dead in his tracks. The mother and son who were able to defeat him every time and he still continues to underestimate them. He never learns…

**She bought you twelve years of borrowed time… but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must…"**

**If this is dying, thought Harry, it's not so the pain was leaving him…**

"I never thought that I would love that bird more," Sirius whispered, wishing the bird was here so he could hug it.

**But was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Harry gave his head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Harry's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound —except that there was no wound.**

Sirius sighed in relief once again. He couldn't express just how glad he was that this book was finally almost over. He wasn't sure his heart could take anymore.

**"Get away, bird," said Riddle's voice suddenly. "Get away from him — I said, get away —"**

"About time he realized what happened," Tonks muttered with a satisfied smirk.

"Good thing that he's so arrogant that he never saw it until it was too late," Moody barked out.

**Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun, and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet.**

**"Phoenix tears…" said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry's arm. "Of course… healing powers… I forgot…"**

"Proves that he's no better than everyone else," Remus declared.

"Anyone who is against him is better than he is," Arthur said loudly and earning some nods and shouts of approval.

**He looked into Harry's face. "But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Harry Potter… you and me…"**

Albus gulped, Harry hadn't told him this either, he was saddened that Harry had been keeping this from him… but then he shook his head. He was a hypocrite for even thinking that. He had been keeping secrets from Harry for 14 years, he was the last person to be complaining about secrets being kept from him.

**He raised the wand…**

**Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes had soared back overhead and something fell into Harry's lap — the diary.**

**For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, as though he had meant to do it all along, Harry seized the basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.**

"You go boy!" Tonks cheered, ready for something good to happen, "Things are looking up!"

**There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then —He had gone. **

"Guess for Riddle, the sword was mightier than the pen," Remus smirked. They all groaned as Sirius hit him gently on the side of the head. "That was a terrible joke, Moony. You always did have a such dry sense of humor."

**Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.**

"And good riddance!" Arthur shouted. Others fell back in their seats. The only thing that they've been doing all day was read a book, and yet they were all exhausted. Who knew reading could get you so excited?

**Shaking all over, Harry pulled himself up. His head was spinning as though he'd just traveled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, he gathered together his wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk's mouth.**

**Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring.**

"She's ok," Arthur whispered to his wife who looked ready to sob again, but with happiness.

**As Harry hurried toward her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.**

"Oh, my poor little girl!" she whispered sadly. "She must've been so scared that she would be blamed for all this."

**"Harry — oh, Harry — I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy — it was me, Harry — but I — I s-swear I d-didn't mean to — R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over — and — how did you kill that — that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary —"**

"I can't imagine how hard it must've been for her," Arthur said sadly, thinking about his eleven year old daughter being trapped down there. _'But she still fought back,'_ he thought proudly. That was his girl!

**"It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here —"**

"Best idea I heard all book!" Tonks called out and Sirius nodded vigorously.

**"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet. **

"Not for something that someone else forced her to do," Minerva said coldly. "She never should've thought that for a second!"

"Give the girl a break," Remus whispered to her softly. "This must've been so hard on her.

**"I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and — w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"**

**Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Harry urged Ginny forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Harry heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss.**

**After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Harry's ears.**

**"Ron!" Harry yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"**

"Oh, that would've been a tough hour for him," Kingsley whispered. "He must've thought that he lost his sister and his best friend that whole time."

"Don't say that," Sirius shuttered. He knew that he wasn't going to be getting any sleep that night.

**He heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rock fall.**

**"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How — what — where did that bird come from?"**

"That must have been odd, when he went into the chamber he was alone, then he comes out with his sister, a phoenix, the Sorting Hat, and a sword," Sirius laughed, feeling much more light-hearted than he had been for the last few chapters.

**Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny.**

**"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing through himself.**

**"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand.**

"He had time to do his Christmas shopping while he was down there," Sirius grunted.

"And you say that I tell terrible jokes," Remus chuckled. The whole atmosphere had changed completely now that everyone was safe.

**"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Harry with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever.**

**"But —"**

**"Later," Harry said shortly. He didn't think it was a good idea to tell Ron yet who'd been opening the Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway. **

"I'm glad to see that Harry has some tact at least," Minerva said rolling her eyes. "I think that Ron could learn a thing or two about that from his friends."

**"Where's Lockhart?"**

"Oh, I forgot about that git!" Sirius roared with laughter. Most leaned in, wanting to hear what happened to him.

**"Back there," said Ron, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."**

**Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.**

**"His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."**

"But the important question is can he still smile and sign autographs?" asked Tonks in mock seriousness. "If so then maybe no one will notice a difference?"

No one could help themselves. They all burst out laughing, and for a long time, they couldn't stop. No one felt any pity for the man; they all felt he deserved it. Finally, Albus, his eyes shining with laughter, forced himself to calm down long enough to continue.

**Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.**

**"Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"**

"What, you don't like dark tunnels?" Sirius asked in a pretend offended tone. "I decorated the place myself!"

**"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Harry.**

**Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe.**

**"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" he said to Ron.**

"They're flying First class with a Phoenix, of course!" Arthur smiled as Molly finished the last of her tea with a bright smile.

**Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly at him.**

**"He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there —"**

"You're forgetting who and what you're dealing with," Kingsley stated with a glance at the Headmaster who was still beaming.

**"Fawkes," said Harry, "isn't an ordinary bird." He turned quickly to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart —"**

**"He means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.**

They all chuckled at that. They were beginning to like this new Lockhart.

**"You hold Ginny's other hand —"**

**Harry tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into his belt, Ron took hold of the back of Harry's robes, and Harry reached out and took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers.**

"He is a phoenix," Severus said as if talking to a dim child. "They burst into flames when they die and can travel with their own fire. Of course it'll have hot tail feathers!"

**An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through his whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. Harry could hear Lockhart dangling below him, saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" **

"Wow!" Tonks said sarcastic. "Really? Like real magic? No…"

**The chill air was whipping through Harry's hair, and before he'd stopped enjoying the ride, it was over — all four of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into place.**

**Myrtle goggled at them.**

"Of course she would," Remus said. "She thought for sure that they were never coming back out."

**"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.**

**"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.**

**"Oh, well… I'd just been thinking… if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.**

"You mean to tell me that a ghost has a crush on Harry?" Sirius asked in disgust as Severus roared with laughter.

"Eww," Tonks said, wrinkling her nose.

**"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "Harry! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Ginny!"But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face.**

**"Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny. Harry pointed.**

**Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after him,** **and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office**. **Harry knocked and pushed the door open.**

"That's the end of the chapter," Albus sighed in happiness as he turned the page to the last chapter. At those words, everyone tried to process all this new information.

"That was a hell of a chapter," Sirius said finally rubbing his exhausted eyes. "I don't think I can handle any more surprises today."

"And this was only the second year," Remus gestured at the pile of books still on the table. "And somehow I don't think they are getting any easier on the nerves."

"No, neither do I," Tonks agreed.

Remus checked his battered watch. "Oh, wow. Look at how late it is! I didn't even realize it. It's one in the morning!"

The teachers all knew that they had to get back before Umbridge realized that they weren't there. Besides, they all had classes tomorrow and needed to be up and early.

"But we only have one more chapter to go," Minerva complained to Albus softly. Everyone was drowsy, and falling asleep, but none of them looked like they wanted to leave until the book was over.

Albus smiled at her. "I'll be quick," he promised and he went on with the final chapter to the Chamber of Secrets. "**Chapter 17: Dobby's Reward**."


	21. Dobby's Reward

**(I own nothing. Copyright belongs to J.K. Rowling)**

**Epilogue: Dobby's Reward**

Albus smiled at her. "I'll be quick," he promised and he went on with the final chapter to the Chamber of Secrets. "**Chapter 17: Dobby's Reward**."

"Dobby?" Tonks repeated in surprise. "What does Dobby have to do with this now?"

Remus smacked himself over the face and groaned, "That's right! I forgot that Dobby knew all about this!"

They all shared strange looks; in light of Harry and Ginny's lives being in grave danger in the Chamber had driven all thoughts about the strange little elf from their minds.

"But what is he being rewarded for?" Kingsley asked them confused. That elf had definitely done more harm than good from what he heard.

Albus chuckled, remembering just how fondly that Dobby talked about Harry when he and Winky came to see him for a job. "I'm sure that you'll find out," he said smiling as he continued.

**For a moment there was silence as Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Harry's case) blood.**

Sirius shivered slightly at the fact that Harry had almost been killed that day. He was determined that Harry would never return to Privet Drive, he was going to bring him back here, especially if his name wasn't cleared yet. He didn't think that he could stand being trapped inside this house alone for much longer. And after reading this, he felt like he never wanted to let the boy out of his sight again.

**Then there was a scream.**

**"Ginny!"**

**It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.**

"I thought that I was dreaming," Molly said in a muffled voice as she smiled into her husband's shoulder. "I thought that we were never going to see Ginny again… and then they all just walked right in… _alive_."

"The best surprise I've ever had," Arthur smiled happily as he kissed Molly's hair. He to remembered the feeling of pure joy when they all walked into the office that night. It was just one of few truly happy memories he used to create his own weasel-shaped Patronus.

**Harry, however, was looking past them. Professor Dumbledore** **was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming,** **next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. **

"You four Marauders," Minerva said with a glare to Remus and Sirius, "Were nothing compared to these three."

Sirius roared with laughter at that. "Well, I always knew that there would be trouble-makers who would surpass the Marauders someday. I am so proud that one of those trouble-makers is my godson…"

"What were you beaming about, Dumbledore?" Moody asked with an inquiring look. "It sounds like you knew that this was going to happen."

Albus shook his head as they all looked at him. "Believe me, I had no idea what was going to happen that year. Indeed, I hoped to have had everything solved before something like this happened. I was beaming because I was just so pleased to see them alive, though I had faith in their skill to be able to come out of that ordeal. But I think that it might be considered nothing less than a miracle for the others in the room."

Minerva glared at him as the Weasleys smiled at the memory and Severus rolled his eyes and said, "That had nothing to do with skill on their part. It was luck. Pure luck. There was no way that a group of kids could've gotten out of the Chamber of Secrets without it. Of course everyone was surprised that they were still alive. Especially, you Minerva," he smirked. "You seemed to be beside yourself with shock."

"What would you have done?" she snapped at him. "I thought that one of my students was dead, and that there wasn't anything I could do. And then she just turned up with two of the three biggest trouble makers that Hogwarts had ever seen."

"Thank God, that they aren't in my House," Severus muttered, thanking his lucky stars.

Remus looked to Dumbledore and silently begged for him to keep reading.

**Fawkes went whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as Harry found himself and Ron being swept into Mrs. Weasley's tight embrace.**

**"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"**

"You know, now that I know the entire story," Molly said with a sad sigh, "I'm wishing that I never asked."

"You didn't know all the facts back then though," Kingsley reasoned. "And I can't say that I'm not surprised that Harry didn't want to tell you… er… all the details of what happened."

"I'm glad that he didn't," she shivering at the thought. "I don't think I could've slept for the next few weeks."

**"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.**

**Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry, who hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the desk and laid upon it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and what remained of Riddle's diary.**

"Well," Sirius said with a small smile. "That is one way to get your attention."

"One heck of a way to start a story," Tonks said laughing slightly. She would've loved to have been in the room to see everyone's faces when Harry told them all what happened.

**Then he started telling them everything. **

Kingsley blinked in surprise before he smiled and looked up at them to ask, "I'm guessing that he neglected to tell you all about the Polyjuice potion?"

"No, he failed to mention that," Minerva nodded rather disgruntled.

"Can't say that I blame him," Moody said coolly. "Snape would've made their lives a living hell at school."

"And I plan on it," Severus growled.

"Severus," Albus said in an almost harsh tone. "You can't punish them for something that they did almost four years ago. Besides, if they didn't do it, they might not have gotten all those clues and saved young Ginny."

Severus glared at him in frostily. He wasn't going to admit to it, but… he did have a good point.

**For nearly a quarter of an hour he spoke into the rapt silence: He told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realized that he was hearing a basilisk in the pipes; **

"Lucky that Harry could hear it," Arthur said softly, not wanting to think of what would've happened if Harry couldn't understand Parseltongue. Not only would Ginny be dead, but Voldemort would've been brought back two years sooner. He shuddered at the thought of fighting against a young Voldemort.

**how he and Ron had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how he had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom…**

"And I still don't get why on earth Slytherin would hide the entrance to his hidden chamber in a girl's bathroom!" Tonks said perplexed. "Really, an old broom cupboard would've sounded cooler."

Remus shrugged and said to her, "Maybe it wasn't in a bathroom. Remember, there wasn't indoor plumbing a thousand years ago… or perhaps because no one would look there?"

"But you know," Minerva said a little grumpily. "When the book puts it all together that way, it really makes me wonder just what kind of staff Hogwarts has. It all sounds so reasonable… so simple, and we never realized it."

"Maybe you should have these three join your staff?" Sirius laughed at Severus's horrified look at the thought of having those three on the staff. "You can have the three of them teach Defense Against the Dark Arts or something. I'm sure they would be better teachers than that Professor Toad."

"Don't talk nonsense, Black," Severus said rolling his eyes, though still looking irritated. "As if they could teach."

"But I have to agree that they would be better teachers than that toad," Minerva muttered under her breath, looking disgusted just at thinking of Umbridge.

**"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him as he paused, "so you found out where the entrance was — breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add — but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"**

"He almost didn't!" Minerva and Molly both yelled out and Sirius's eyes narrowed in anger at Voldemort. Just one more thing to add to his ever growing list of things he had against Voldemort. He vowed that he was going to make that bastard pay even if it killed him.

**So Harry, his voice now growing hoarse from all this talking, told them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving him the sword. But then he faltered. He had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary — or Ginny. **

"So even after everything he went through," Tonks said smiling widely, "He was still trying to protect Ginny from getting in trouble. Wow, I wonder what lucky girl gets together with him?"

She looked over at the Weasleys, "Ginny had a crush on him all that time didn't she?" when they nodded, wondering where she was going with this, she said smiling, "All these heroic feats that he did to save her? Probably would've made her fall deeper in love."

Sirius and several others had to laugh at that. Sirius grinned at the thought, though for some strange reason he was having a hard time imagining Harry finally dating. Maybe it was because… even after all this, he still didn't know all that much about his godson. These books were showing him a side to the boy that he never knew… but it made his heart ache once again when he realized just how much he missed of Harry's life.

After all, he was in prison for half of the boy's life and… suddenly his eyes widened. He realized that they would be reading about Harry's third year next. This was when he finally made his appearance… he was going to be hearing all about himself from Harry's point of view and he was terrified at that.

He was willing to bet everything he owned that Harry had been told those lies that he was responsible for betraying James and Lily… which means that there was going to be parts where he will have to hear about Harry hated him… even want him… he gulped… dead.

His fear was taking over his body and he began to shake. He didn't want to read it. But before he could think of a good excuse to get out of reading the next book, Dumbledore went on reading.

**She was standing with her head against Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks. What if they expelled her? Harry thought in panic. Riddle's diary didn't work anymore… How could they prove it had been he who'd made her do it all?**

"Oh, that's right!" Tonks said worriedly; she hoped that Ginny wasn't punished for anything that she'd been forced to do. "How did they prove that Voldemort was making her do all these things?"

"Don't worry," Arthur said with a sad smile. "Everything worked out in the end."

**Instinctively, Harry looked at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.**

"You understood didn't you?" Remus asked with his eyebrows raised.

Albus smiled slightly, though it was a little gloomy. "Useful thing… Legilimency."

**"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."**

**Relief — warm, sweeping, glorious relief – swept over Harry. "W-what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not… Ginny hasn't been… has she?"**

"I can't tell you how shocked I was when I heard that," Arthur said shaking his head and gripping Molly's hand. "I didn't have the slightest clue to what was going on. I was told that Ginny was dead, but turns up alive… to hear that Harry and Ron went into the forest and the Chamber of Secrets to save her, and to top it all off—Ginny was being possessed by Voldemort for that whole year? I just wanted to go to sleep and hope that when I woke up, it would be just a bad dream"

Molly bit her lower lip, looking like she wanted to start yelling about what she really thought of Voldemort, but Kingsley said in a calmed tone that relaxed them all, "Let's just be glad that everyone made it out alive."

**"It was this diary," said Harry quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen…"**

"Wait a minute, why isn't he calling him Voldemort?" Sirius asked confused. To his delight, no one flinched at the name this time, "He knows that Riddle is Voldemort, so why is he still calling him Riddle?"

"Well," Albus said thoughtfully, understanding why, "Tom Riddle is Voldemort's real name. But that's beside the point. The Voldemort that Harry met the year before this, and the boy that he saw come out of the diary don't look anything alike. I don't think it would be too difficult to forget that they are one in the same person."

"You know," Sirius muttered to himself, "Just what did happen to Riddle for him to become so power-hungry and psycho?"

Albus shrugged, feeling a deep sadness that he couldn't have done anything to prevent Tom from becoming what he is. "Maybe, if things had turned out differently… maybe if Tom's father never left, maybe if his mother had lived… maybe he never would've become Lord Voldemort."

**Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.**

**"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered.**

"Brilliant?" Sirius snorted. "More like completely insane."

"Here, here," Tonks nodded.

**"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school… traveled far and wide… sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."**

"I guess I can understand that," Remus muttered. "_I_ have trouble telling them apart… and I wasn't there."

Kingsley looked at Albus and said, "You said that he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen. You taught Riddle yourself—I hope you didn't teach Riddle everything!"

He smiled grimly at Kingsley. "I was just doing my job. Don't worry, I improved greatly over these fifty years."

_'Unfortunately,'_ he added to himself in thought. _'So has he.'_

**"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with — with — him?"**

**"His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year —"**

**"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you  
anything. What have I always told you? _Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain?_ Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!'**

"That's some good advice," Kingsley said as Moody smiled slightly in approval.

"That sounds like something I would say," he said thoughtfully, but he was smirking as his magical eye fixed itself on Arthur, who just laughed.

"It does sound like something you would say," Arthur admitted. "Because you **did** say it. You gave me that advice the first time we met remember? The first day that I joined the Ministry, you warned me not to misjudge any object."

"And you remembered that after all this time?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"It helped get me out a lot of tight spots," Arthur said with a significant smile to Moody who just shrugged.

"At least someone in the Order takes this seriously," he muttered before his eye looked directly at Sirius. "Which is more than I can say for several others."

"You hear that, Snape?"

"I might be going out on a limb here, but I think he was talking about you, Black!"

Albus shook his head. Really, just how much was it going to take for these two to put aside old grudges and move on with their lives? As long as they were determine to hang onto their hatred of the past, then neither one was going to find any source of peace. He went on before the argument could go on.

**"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it —"**

**"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. **

"Nothing beats hot chocolate," Remus laughed, suddenly wishing that he had some right now.

"Of course you would say that," Sirius sniggered, "If it has chocolate in its name, then you would love it."

He shrugged. Thanks to years of eating it to help him recover from his transformations he couldn't go anywhere without a chocolate bar. "I can't help it."

**"You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice — I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."**

"Oh, that's great!" Tonks cried out happily, remembering about the students who were still in the hospital. "Perfect way to end the year!"

"Well," Sirius stated with distaste, thinking about that Malfoy git. "Not everyone will be happy to hear this."

"Just asking," Remus asked the teachers, "How does one go about administering Mandrake Draft to a ghost?"

"Oh, it's a very complicated process," Albus said, looking ready to explain, but Minerva caught his eyes and he knew that now wasn't the best time to tell him.

"I'll explain later on," he promised.

**"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.**

**"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore.**

**Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.**

"Of course we were!" Molly shouted out. "Our daughter was being possessed by Voldemort and we were trying to take all this in. That is on my list of one of the best and worst days of my life."

To her surprise, Sirius was smiling gently at her.

He had an idea of what that would be like. He remembered seeing Harry for the first time after he broke out of Azkaban. Seeing a teenage boy that looked so much like his father… seeing that he was alive and well… it was one of the happiest days he had… but also one of the saddest because he couldn't risk revealing himself to his godson—so he had no choice but to run.

**"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"**

**"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"**

"What?!" Sirius yelled out. He turned to Dumbledore with a fierce glare and barked, "You're going to punish them for saying Ginny's life?!"

"Well," Severus said calmly, enjoying Sirius's angry outburst. "They did smash every school rule in those last 24 hours…"

"Only to save a person's life!" Tonks cried out. "To save a friend and a little sister! You can't punish them for that!"

Albus kept reading so that they would hear the truth for themselves.

**"Certainly," said Dumbledore.**

**She left, and Harry and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with them? Surely — surely — they weren't about to be punished?**

"You better not!" Sirius hissed as Remus was also starting to look upset.

**"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore.**

"What?" shrieked Sirius, Tonks, Remus, and surprisingly Kingsley.

"What kind of crap is this!?" Sirius roared, forgetting that Harry was still at school

"You wouldn't dare!" Tonks also yelled. "If this is the thanks you get for trying to do the right thing then…"

"Relax!" Moody bellowed out starting to get annoyed again, "You all know that it doesn't happen! If you don't believe me then go up to the school and ask them for yourselves."

That shut them up. Sirius closed his mouth, though he was tempted by the idea to go up to the school himself… to see Harry and get out of the house if nothing else…

**Ron opened his mouth in horror.**

**"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. **

"Yeah," Tonks said grinning. "That's more like it!"

**"You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and — let me see — yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."**

"Oh, I was so proud when I heard," Molly said tearfully. "We stayed all night with Ginny before we felt that we could leave. Dumbledore told us personally… Ron's the first in the family to get those… something he's been holding that over his brother's head ever since then."

"And four hundred points for Gryffindor?!" Sirius cried out happily, forgetting about his anger towards Dumbledore at the moment. "Talk about insult to injury to Slytherin! They have the House cup in the bag."

Severus's eye was twitching horribly like he wanted nothing more than to scream out a retort but just wanted to get this book over with so he could go to bed.

**Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.**

**"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"**

"Oh, I completely forgot about him!" Remus exclaimed in surprise as Moody and Tonks laughed at the thought of that idiot losing his memory.

**Harry gave a start. He had completely forgotten about Lockhart. He turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.**

They all laughed at that.

"You know?" Molly giggled, "If he didn't try to erase Harry and Ron's memories and leave my Ginny to die… I would be feeling bad for him."

"No surprise there," Sirius muttered, but he was smiling. "He deserved it."

**"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart —"**

**"Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"**

"That's the smartest thing I heard him say all book," laughed Arthur, looking more cheerful than he had all day.

"I think we have a historic moment here!" Tonks grinned as her hair turned to a wavy blonde that resembled Lockhart's. "Gilderoy Lockhart finally admitted something true!"

"You know something?" Sirius sneered at the thought of that prat. "I like him better without his memory. Can't we keep him like this?"

**"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.**

**"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"**

"You mean that you knew that he was a fraud all along?" Minerva snapped at him, her eyes burning with fury. He shrugged half-heartedly and gave her an apologetic smile as she finished, "Then why did you fire him?!"

"Two reasons," Albus said truthfully. "First, I didn't have any actual evidence that he was a fraud. And second of all, he was the only one who applied for the job."

Severus made an indistinct noise in his throat. Dumbledore knew that he had been after that job since he first started teaching… he would get that job sooner or later though.

**"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."**

"You know," Sirius laughed. "He's funnier this way. Why didn't you keep him? He could've stayed as Snape's assistant or something."

He grinned at the thought of having a memory-less Lockhart being in Snape's classroom and driving Snape up the walls. Severus was looking disgusted at the thought. "I don't need an assistant. I'm capable of doing classes on my own."

"You have no sense of humor," Sirius said sounding disappointed.

**"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron. "I'd like a few more words with Harry…"**

**Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Harry as he closed the door.**

**Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.**

**"Sit down, Harry," he said, and Harry sat, feeling unaccountably nervous.**

"Don't know why he's nervous," Sirius said with a dark look at Dumbledore for making Harry feel this way. "I mean, it's not like you were angry or something right?"

"I think he was uneasy of what I wanted to talk to him about," Albus said sadly, feeling a little guilty at this. "He might not have been sure if he wanted to open up to me."

**"First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."**

**He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Harry grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched him.**

**"And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you…"**

"Interested?" Remus repeated a little dryly. "More like obsessed."

Sirius growled under his breath, sounding more like a dog with every second.

**Suddenly, something that was nagging at Harry came tumbling out of his mouth.**

**"Professor Dumbledore… Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said…"**

"Why would he be worried about that?" Sirius asked annoyed now. "I thought that we've been over this. Harry and Voldemort aren't anything alike!"

He noticed several of the strange and piteous looks aimed at him and he said with as much reluctance as he could muster, "OK! They have SOME similarities. But they're still completely different!"

"I agree," Albus said softly. He knew just how different the two of them were, and he couldn't help but smile at that.

**"Did he, now?" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully at Harry from under his thick silver eyebrows. "And what do you think, Harry?"**

**"I don't think I'm like him!" said Harry, more loudly than he'd intended. "I mean, I'm — I'm in Gryffindor, I'm…"**

"Oh, please," Severus said rolling his eyes, "There is no way that Potter would've done well in my House. I think it would be an insult to Slytherins."

"Because he's so much better than your whole House put together?" Sirius said grinning.

Albus shook his head at them both as Severus opened his mouth furiously. "I think that Harry could've done well in any of the four Houses. But that doesn't change the fact that he's in Gryffindor."

They all let the matter drop at that, although secretly, a tiny part of Dumbledore was proud that Harry had been placed in his old House.

**But he fell silent, a lurking doubt resurfacing in his mind.**

**"Professor," he started again after a moment. "The Sorting Hat told me I'd — I'd have done well in Slytherin. Everyone thought I was Slytherin's heir for a while… because I can speak Parseltongue…"**

"Which I still can't get how anyone could believe that!" Sirius ranted looking livid as the injustice of it all came back to him. "I mean first of all, how can that idiot Hufflepuff actually think that Harry was a Dark Wizard when he was baby? Babies can't do anything but drool and eat!"

"So in other words," Severus asked, "They act like you?"

But Sirius was on a roll and didn't hear him. "Yeah, a baby's real dangerous! Then his two best friends just happen to be a Muggle-born and a blood traitor! How could he be attacking anyone if he had them for friends? That would mean that the two of them would've been targets! And lastly, in case they all forgotten, he saved the school last year from the real snake in the grass! How could they suspect him of all people behind all this?"

Sirius stopped ranting to take a long breath. Everyone stared at him as he fought for air. Remus leaned over and timidly touched his shoulder. "Padfoot? It's ok… it's already happened. Everyone learned the truth that Harry didn't have anything to do with it… so we shouldn't have to worry anymore."

"I'm not worrying about it," he snarled back, throwing off Remus's hand. "I'm angry at it!"

**"You can speak Parseltongue, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort — who is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin — can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…"**

Sirius let out a roar of anger. Why did this bastard have to do that? Why did it have to be Harry that he went after that night? Just because he heard a prophecy he felt the need to kill a little kid and his parents? He wanted to curse the one who made that damn prophecy into oblivion.

Tonks grimaced. "I don't know what to think. It's terrible… but in a way it's sort of… good you know? Because if that never happened then Harry wouldn't have been able to open the Chamber or helped out Justin that day at the Dueling Club. And let's not forget that if it wasn't for that, then Harry would've have been able to see that vision of Arthur being attacked. So, yeah, it sucks, but it's also been useful."

"Good point," Sirius muttered, though he still looked slightly ill at the thought of his godson having Voldemort's powers. Not for the first time, he wished that he could go back in time to that night and get the Potter's out of that house before Voldemort came and destroyed everything that night.

**"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Harry said, thunderstruck.**

**"It certainly seems so."**

**"So I should be in Slytherin," Harry said, looking desperately into Dumbledore's face. "The Sorting Hat could see Slytherin's power in me, and it —"**

"And it put you in Gryffindor," Sirius said fiercely, and he noticed a proud smile on Minerva's face. He felt his respect for McGonagall rise. "You're in Gryffindor, so stop complaining."

**"Put you in Gryffindor," said Dumbledore calmly. "Listen to me, Harry. You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue — resourcefulness — determination — a certain disregard for rules," he added, his mustache quivering again. **

"You're saying that like it's a good thing," Molly cried out as she, Minerva, and Severus all gave the Headmaster hard looks.

"Well it is," Sirius, Tonks, and surprisingly Moody said to them.

"In cases like these, yes, it is," Albus agreed. "Although the last one isn't necessary a Slytherin trait. After all, some of the people in this room can be classified with that."

His eyes twinkled at Sirius, Remus, and Tonks who all grinned at the memories.

**"Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think."**

**"It only put me in Gryffindor," said Harry in a defeated voice, "because I asked not to go in Slytherin…"**

**"Exactly, "said Dumbledore, beaming once more. "Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." **

"It is our choices…" Kingsley said with a nod. "Words to live by."

"Yes," Albus said. He wondered what his life would've been like if his choices didn't cost him Ariana's life. "People can come from the darkest family or, like Harry, and have an ability that is associated with Dark Wizards. But whatever the circumstances of our births or abilities that we have are neither here nor there; it's what we choose to do with them that determines who we are… I mean," he went on with a nod to Sirius and Tonks. "You two are prime examples."

They both grinned proudly.

**Harry sat motionless in his chair, stunned. "If you want proof, Harry, that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."**

**Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall's desk, picked up the blood-stained silver sword, and handed it to Harry. Dully, Harry turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. And then he saw the name engraved just below the hilt.**

**Godric Gryffindor**

"Wow," Sirius whispered, in amazement. For some reason, he looked up to Severus—who was looking stunned that his least favorite student was capable of this.

"Gryffindor's sword!" Remus gasped in wonder. "Amazing!"

Minerva just said with a smug smile, "That just proves that he's in the right House!"

"Ha!" Sirius laughed in agreement. "Don't know why he ever doubted it!"

**"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, Harry," said Dumbledore simply.**

"I hope this gets through him that he belongs in Gryffindor," Sirius scolded. As far as he was concerned, Harry didn't have a Slytherin bone in his body. Unlike those snakes, Harry thought too much with his heart.

**For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk and took out a quill and a bottle of ink.**

**"What you need, Harry, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban —we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added Thoughtfully. "We'll be needing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher… Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"**

"Well, it's not like anyone's actually going to miss Lockhart are they?" Tonks asked them as the teachers smiled.

"Nope!" Sirius said with a popping sound. "Now we can finally have a real Defense teacher come in and try to pick up the slack."

Remus blushed at those words, as everyone (Except Snape of course) smiled at him.

**Harry got up and crossed to the door. He had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.**

**Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face.**

"What's he doing there?" Kingsley asked as Arthur's face contorted with fury and Molly looked like she was about to explode.

**And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.**

"WHAT?" Sirius and Tonks exclaimed in disbelief.

"So Dobby belonged to the Malfoy's all this time?" Remus asked in incredulity.

"Wait… Does that mean it was Lucius Malfoy who—" Sirius began slowly, though he didn't need to finish to get his answer. For Arthur made it all clear at that moment.

"I'll kill him!" Arthur interrupted with rage clearly on his face. "I've been dying to get that man for something for years, but to actually endanger my little girl that like along with very student in the school? He was endangering his own son as well with that damn serpent roaming the castle!"

"What do you expect from a Death Eater?" Moody growled. "I knew that he should've been locked away years ago."

Arthur smirked slightly at that. "That's not a bad idea! I'm going to get him locked away to Azkaban if it's the last thing I ever do!"

"I'll help," hissed Sirius in anger, thinking of everything that happened because of that heartless bastard. Though he privately believed that Azkaban was too good for him for causing this nightmare to happen.

**"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.**

**Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Harry over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.**

Sirius frowned, feeling sorry for the little elf… he even almost forgave him for putting Harry in all that trouble. Of course the elf wouldn't be in the right head after being forced to live with people like the Malfoys for who knows how long.

**The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoys shoes. Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his usually sleek hair was disheveled. Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon Dumbledore.**

"Mr. Sunshine seems like he's in a good mood huh?" Tonks asked sarcastically.

**"So!" he said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."**

**"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too… Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."**

"Maybe that's because he DID threaten them in the first place!" Arthur yelled. "Oh, why didn't he get prison time for this? Threats should count at least for a couple weeks in Azkaban depending on what he threatened to do…"

"Why that…" Sirius couldn't even think of a good enough words to call Malfoy except… a Malfoy. Really, what can be worse than having that last name?

"I hope someone put him in his place after this," Tonks muttered furiously.

**Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.**

**"So — have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"**

**"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.**

"What do you mean by _'we'_?" Kingsley asked shrewdly.

"By _we_," Albus said smiling at him, "I meant Harry, Ron, and Hermione of course. And…" he added in an afterthought. "With just a little help from Fawkes."

"That I can agree on," Sirius said a little grudgingly.

**"Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"**

**"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."**

**He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely. **

"Did you know?" Arthur demanded him, his eyes blazing at Dumbledore. "Did you know that Malfoy gave Ginny that damn book?"

Albus shook his head. "Not at first. I was curious to how on earth Ginny could've got her hands on that diary," he told them all as Molly looked scared. "I knew that only a Death Eater could've passed it on to her—after all, how else could one of Voldemort's belongings find its way into innocent hands? And I knew that there weren't too many former Death Eater that could get close enough to your family to do so. Or have such a grudge that they would want to try and hurt your family this way."

"And of course," Arthur said in a frozen voice, "Lucius would be at the top of the list."

**Harry, however, was watching Dobby.**

**The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Harry, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.**

"Dobby's trying to tell Harry it was Malfoy," Remus said unnecessarily and another uproar began.

"I still can't believe that git slipped that thing into Ginny's cauldron!" Sirius growled. "NO actually, yes I can believe the slime ball would've done something like that!'

"How dare he do something like that?! She's a little girl!" Minerva spat.

Arthur and Sirius stood up and started cursing Malfoy at the top of their voices. Remus, Tonks, and Albus looked disgusted as Severus was shaking his head. Minerva and Molly were both sharing dark looks as if silently communicating what they would like to do to Lucius Malfoy the next time they saw him. Later, it took the group a whole ten minutes to really calm down enough that Moody suddenly started to laugh in a gruff way.

"Oh, no," Sirius said looking at him worriedly. "Whenever you start laughing, it means that all missed something."

Moody stopped laughing and looked at the book. "Ha! I was just thinking about what Weasley said back in Chapter 13."

"What?" Remus asked, "The Very Secret Diary? What about it?"

"Just thinking about when the boy kept insisting that he was so sure that it was Malfoy responsible for the opening of the Chamber. He was right—they just had the wrong Malfoy!"

They all thought about this and then Tonks started to laugh. "Ironic… Ron already solved the mystery before anyone else."

**"I see…" said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.**

**"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if Harry here —" Mr. Malfoy shot Harry a swift, sharp look "and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why — Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will…"**

**Mr. Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly masklike.**

"Of course," Sirius spat in disgust. "That's what his real face is after all! A Death Eater's mask!"

**"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then… The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and — killing Muggle-borns… **

"No…" Arthur whispered, horror-struck. "This… he put my daughter's life in danger all because of my bill?"

"He was doing this to get back at you," Remus said softly.

"Typical Lucius," Severus said wryly. Figures the man would sink so low to get petty revenge.

**Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise…"**

**Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak.**

**"Very fortunate," he said stiffly.**

**And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head.**

**And Harry suddenly understood. **

"About time," Severus muttered, rolling his eyes.

"You leave him alone," Sirius muttered under his breath in a threatening tone.

**He nodded at Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting his ears in punishment.**

"Poor thing," Minerva sighed.

"It's times like this that make me want to join that club that Hermione calls spew," Tonks said frowning.

"Actually," Remus said with a slight laugh, "It's call S.P.E.W. It stands for the Society of the Protection of Elfish Welfare."

"Whatever," Sirius said with a shrug. "I think she could think of a better name though."

**"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said Harry.**

**Lucius Malfoy rounded on him.**

**"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.**

Arthur and Molly both looked murderous. Stupid? No one insults one of their children like that and gets away. They weren't going to stop until Lucius got what he deserved.

**"Because you gave it to her," said Harry. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"**

"That monster, she's a kid and he gave it to her," Molly hissed furiously. She wished that Malfoy was here right now so that she could wrap her fingers around his throat.

Tonks was looking sick. She couldn't believe that she was stuck with this monster for her uncle. Sure she never met the man… and she was making any plans to start… but to actually be the one to be behind all this?

Remus must've guessed what she was feeling because he took her hand in his own, and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back, feeling so much better with him near. And… not knowing why she did it—she laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen slightly, as if her sudden closeness bothered him. But it passed a moment later as he relaxed and continued to hold her hand.

Remus could see the upset look on Tonks face, and he didn't have to look in her head to see what she was upset about. He reached over and took her hand, trying to comfort her. Not really registering the way that his heart sped up slightly just by her touch. She smiled at him—and to his greatest astonishment, she leaned over and laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes as if enjoying having him near.

He stiffened up greatly at her sudden unexpected move, but then relaxed as he breathed in her scent… she smelled of flowers… and of bubble-gum.

Everyone else in the room was smirking at the two on the couch… not that the two of them noticed anything else around them. Smiling broadly at the two, Albus kept reading.

**He saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clench and unclench.**

**"Prove it," he hissed.**

**"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you…"**

"I intend to," Arthur promised. He was going to get Lucius back for this even if it killed him.

**Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!"**

**He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. **

"That poor elf. Please, Harry do something," Molly whispered, filling up with pity.

"He can't," Sirius sighed sadly.

"Why does Malfoy have to take his anger out on Dobby?" Tonks asked him angrily.

"That's just how he's always been," he answered bitterly.

"I wish Harry could do something to help him," Remus sighed. It was strange that no one seemed to notice the smile on Albus's face.

**Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him —**

**"Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"**

"Why would he want that?" Kingsley asked confused.

**"Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember…" Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. He could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan could possibly work, Harry took off one of his shoes, pulled off his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it. Then he ran down the dark corridor.**

Sirius blinked before a slight grin appeared, "He didn't?" And seeing the grin on Albus's face he said, "But he did, didn't he?"

"Did what?" Tonks questioned as Remus, who just realized what they were talking about and laughed out-loud.

"Genius!"

"You bet he is!"

"What are you talking about?" Tonks asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You'll see," Albus laughed. "We're almost done."

**He caught up with them at the top of the stairs.**

**"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you —"**

**And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.**

**"What the —?"**

"Oh, I would've loved to have seen the look on his face when Harry shoved a slimy sock into his hands," Sirius laughed.

**Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry. "You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too."**

Everyone in the room tensed up at that, glaring murderously at the book just as both Sirius and Remus, all looks of laughter gone from their faces, "Don't you dare talk about James and Lily that way."

"He really is a first-class jerk," Tonks muttered.

"What do you expect from a former Death Eater?" Moody asked as Severus shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

**He turned to go.**

**"Come, Dobby. I said, come."**

**But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.**

"Oh, he did it!" Sirius laughed as everyone suddenly realized what Harry just tricked Lucius into doing.

"Clever boy," Kingsley agreed.

**"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."**

**"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"**

**"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby — Dobby is free."**

"Good for you Dobby," Tonks said with a smile and began clapping loudly.

**Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf then he lunged at Harry.**

"Don't touch him," Molly said angrily and slamming her fist onto the arm of the couch that she and Arthur were sitting on.

"Stay away from my godson!" Sirius snarled, balling his hands into fists.

"Now he's taking his anger out on a kid?" Tonks said incredulously. "I can't believe that he's my uncle!"

"He may be your uncle, but he's not your family," Remus muttered into her ear fiercely and he could feel her worry leave her; leaving him glad that he could help her.

**"You've lost me my servant, boy!"**

**But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"**

**There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. **

"You go Dobby!" Tonks cheered. "I love that elf!"

**He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger.**

**"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."**

**Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.**

Everyone laughed. "He finally got what he deserved. Now that just leaves his son getting what he deserves," Sirius grinned.

"He deserved much worse, but it's a start," Arthur smirked.

Remus was looking at the book curiously.

"What is it, Remus?" Tonks asked him, noticing the look in his eyes.

"Hmm?" he asked before saying, "Oh, I was just thinking about how it says that Lucius had _no choice_ but to leave."

"House-elves are much more powerful than wizards give them credit for," Albus told him slowly. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if wizards enslaved House-elves because they feared their power."

"But if that's the case," Kingsley said softly. "How did they become enslaved if they were so powerful?"

Albus shook his head. "I don't know. You forget that their enslavement happened centuries ago. Though that is something worth looking into—perhaps Miss Granger can help us out with that."

**"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"**

**"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Just promise never to try and save my life again."**

"Yeah, he just might kill you next time," Sirius shuddered at the thought.

**The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.**

**"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Harry as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well —"**

"Yeah," Tonks said quickly. "Just what was that about?"

**"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"**

A few people's eyes widened in realization, whereas others smiled. Even for an elf, Dobby really was one of a kind… just like the wizard he cared about so much for.

**"Right," said Harry weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now…"**

**Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him.**

**"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!"**

"Aww," Molly cooed. "That's sweet. It's hard to stay angry with Dobby."

"Just another compliment that will go to Potter's already large head," Severus muttered under his breath. However he was surprised at himself when he said it without his usual sneer.

**And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.**

**Harry had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Harry didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione running toward him, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" **

"Hermione's back!" Tonks cried out happily.

"Good," sighed Arthur. "The boys were lost without her around."

**or Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to wring his hand and apologize endlessly for suspecting him, **

"About time that he saw some sense," Sirius mumbled, still a little angry that they suspected him at all.

**or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing Harry and Ron so hard on the shoulders that they were knocked into their plates of trifle, **

"Hogwarts just isn't Hogwarts without Hagrid there," Tonks said, grinning from ear to ear. She always loved that loveable giant.

**or his and Ron's four hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, **

"YES!" Sirius roared in approval as Minerva smiled smugly at Severus who looked sour.

**or Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been canceled as a school treat ("Oh, no!" said Hermione), **

"Oh, that's a school treat alright!" Sirius cried out ecstatic. Maybe all this Chamber of Secrets nonsense was worth it after all.

**or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.**

"Why do I get the feeling that you both were cheering when you heard that news?" Kingsley asked Minerva and Severus with his mouth twitching. Severus had a daze look in his eyes, as if he was remembering pleasant things. At the same time Minerva smirked, "Well it was hard not to."

**"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He has starting to grow on me."**

"Yeah," Sirius nodded. "I like this new Lockhart. He spent years erasing people's memories for his own gain, only to have his best spell backfire on him. Ha, don't you love Karma?"

**The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences — Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) **

"Yep," Sirius said weakly. "They have more practice than all the students in the school put together."

"Let's see… they found the Chamber of Secrets, went into the Forbidden Forest, killed a Basilisk, got rid of a fraud for a teacher, and saved Ginny's life," Tonks said, counting off her fingers. "I say that they don't need to take a test to get into the Auror department."

"They still need a lot of training before they join the Aurors," Moody stated. "Though I have to agree with you that they do have a future for that if they choose."

**and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.**

"Good," Arthur said triumphantly, thinking of how Malfoy would've taken that news. "That should but Lucius back in his place."

**Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. **

"Oh, sweet payback," Sirius said a little giddy. Best way to end the year in his opinion.

**On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.**

_'I doubt she was perfectly happy,' _Molly thought with a small sigh of sadness. Ginny will never be exactly how she was before all this happened. Just one more reason to take down Voldemort before he ruined any more lives—before he tore apart any more families.

**Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.**

"That's my boy," Sirius said proudly.

"He better have gotten more than just _very good_ at it," Moody stated grumpily. "It saved his life last year."

**They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.**

**"Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"**

**"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well — Percy's got a girlfriend." **

"What?" Sirius cried out. "Stick-in-the-mud Percy actually found a girl who can stand him?"

"Be nice," Molly said softly and a little sadly. Everything seemed so simple back then… why couldn't things have stayed that way?

**Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.**

**"What?"**

**"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. **

"Aww," Tonks said. "That's cute. What happened to that Percy I wonder?"

**"That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — you know — attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.**

"Of course they won't," Remus stated sarcastically.

"I'm sure that they'll forget by morning," Sirius smirked.

"That's it?" Moody asked, feeling a bit of a letdown. "He got kissed? His priorities are a bit confused don't you think?"

**"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.**

**"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.**

**The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.**

**Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione.**

**"This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and handing it to them. **

Arthur's eyes lit up at that; he wished that he could test out a telephone right now.

**"I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer — he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to…"**

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Harry," Tonks said quickly, having a Muggle-born for a father, who insisted on teaching her all about the use of Muggle items. "Those who are raised only in the Wizarding world are complete idiots when it comes to using Muggle things."

"Hopefully Ron won't shout into the telephone or something," Minerva said, shaking her head, remembering how the Muggle Studies teacher, Charity Burbage sometimes went on about Muggle ways.

"You mean that you're not supposed to?" Sirius asked, looking confused.

"No, you just speak normally and the person on the other end can hear you, no matter how far away you are," Minerva explained.

"You know," Molly said a slowly. "Maybe we don't give Muggles enough credit. They really know their stuff don't they?"

She was glad that she knew how to make her husband smile.

**"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"**

"Not a chance in hell," everyone said together grimly. Sirius scowled at the reminder that Harry was forced to go back to that prison. He could only hope, though his hopes weren't high, that the summer would be better than the last.

**"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious…"**

Molly pressed her lips together at the thought of the way Petunia and that whale of a husband raised Harry. How could someone be forced to live through all that and still turn out so kind and polite? It had to be some kind of miracle in her opinion.

**And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.**

"And done!" Albus said in a tired voice, finally laying the book aside and resting his red eyes. This book had taken more of a toll on his nerves than he thought.

"Thank god," Sirius said as he stretched and yawned. "Merlin it felt like it took an entire year to read this whole thing!"

"I can't believe that we finished this whole book in one day though," Remus yawned as he stood up and stretched. "I hope that we can take our time with the next one." He checked his battered watch and raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Oh, wow. It's almost 2:30 in the morning."

"We have to get back to the school," Minerva yawned. "But what about the other two books?"

"I'm afraid that we have to stay up at the school for the rest of the week," Albus told her sadly as he also stood up. He was really interested in what happens next and he could tell that his two teachers were curious as well. "It would be best for us all to wait for awhile before we begin the third book. Umbridge is already suspicious of us and we need to throw her off our trail. Although…" he added with a look to Sirius and the others. "If you all want to start reading it right away, then please by all means."

"Like I don't have better things to do with my spare time?" Severus muttered under his breath.

"But we have to leave too," Kingsley said as he stood up regretfully. "I have to be back at the Ministry in a few hours."

"So do I," said both Tonks and Arthur at the same time in weary voices.

Molly was yawning in tiredness as well. She was looking ready to go home as well and Mad-Eye said something about having something important to do but said he'd be back as soon as he can.

They all got up and went downstairs, leaving the books where they sat. The teachers all bid goodnight and left, and the Weasleys thanked Sirius for his hospitality and promised that they would be back soon. Kingsley shook their hands and went home as Moody just left with his usual gruff goodbye.

Tonks gave both Sirius and Remus, who blushed, a hug before turning and leaving—making them promise that they weren't going to start on the next book without her.

Sirius sighed unhappily. He loved having so many people over (except for Snape), but it would've been better if Harry could join them as well. Looks like it was only going to be him and Remus for the next week. But as everyone else piled out, Remus gave him a sad look… there was only one reason why he would be looking like that…

"Oh, not you too, Moony," whined Sirius. He didn't want to be left alone in this house again.

"I'm sorry, Padfoot," Remus told him, and he truly sounded sorry. "But I have guard duty for the rest of the night and I have to go and meet up with the werewolves again by morning. I might be gone for awhile, so please…"

"I know," Sirius growled upset. "I understand. Just promise me that you'll come back as soon as you can. I don't know how much longer I can stand being stuck on my own."

Remus clapped a hand on Sirius's shoulder, and Sirius was glad to see that he wasn't the only one looking miserable with him leaving.

"I want to stay," Remus whispered. "I mean, we have twelve years that we need to catch up on… but…"

"I get it," Sirius said, sounding a little less bitter. "But, you'll be back right?" he asked worriedly.

Remus gave him a reassuring smile. "As soon as I can, Padfoot. I promise. Just try not to read without me. I want to see what Harry thinks of my classes."

Sirius tensed up and he felt fear at the thought of reading about his godson's third year, but not wanting to tell Remus what was bothering him just yet, he didn't say anything. Instead, he nodded as his oldest friend gave him a hug, wrapping a worn-out, traveling cloak around his thin shoulders—and walked out the door.

The door shut behind him… leaving Sirius standing alone in the darkness inside the house that he hated.


End file.
